Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (2/10/25):
Carex leptalea var. harperi
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Harper’s Sedge at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Var. harperi is considered to differ from the typic variety in its larger perigynia, larger spikes, more aristate pistillate scales, and more southern range; it needs additional study - per Weakley's Flora (2025)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23 (2002)
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-039:
Carex leptalea FAMILY Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Carex leptalea
Basionym
Carex harperi
COMMON NAME:
Harper’s Sedge
NameThatPlant has no pictures at this time. You might try this link: Flora of the Southeastern United States
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (2/10/25):
Carex leptalea var. harperi
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23
Carex leptalea ssp. harperi
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-17-039:
Carex leptalea
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Carex leptalea
Basionym
Carex harperi
2266
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Monoecious
Habitat: bogs, seeps, blackwater bottomlands, usually in saturated conditions with Sphagnum spp, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common (uncommon in SC Mountains, Carolina Piedmont, & NC Coastal Plain) (rare in GA Mountains)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal? Alternate, 3-ranked?
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Perianth absent
3 stamens
Superior ovary
Unisexual
Inflorescence a solitary spike w staminate & pistillate flowers, staminate above
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
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