Hairy Sedge - Carex hirta

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Description

Creeping, tufted plant 30 to 70 cm tall. Roots often much branched leaves and sheaths hairy, and with long beaked, downy fruits. Inflorescence is elongated with 2 or 3 male spikelets at the tip, and several erect, widely spaced oblong female spikelets with long leaf like bracts.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Meadows, damp grassland, rough grassy places, pond margins.

When to see it

June to September.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Common in Britain except in northern Scotland.

VC55 Status

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 438 of the 617 tetrads.

  • David Nicholls
    Nr Groby Pool
    30 June 2018
  • David Nicholls
    Long Close, Woodhouse Eaves
    15 June 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin
    12 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common Road, Elmesthorpe
    27 May 2016
  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows NR
    15 May 2023
  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows NR
    15 May 2023
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth
    11 May 2015

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Hairy Sedge
Species group:
Grasses, Rushes & Sedges
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Poales
Family:
Cyperaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
118
First record:
01/01/1979 (Patricia Evans)
Last record:
16/10/2023 (Smith, Peter)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • AJ Cann
    The Spearwort Fields
    02 July 2016
  • Graham Calow
    The Park Field, Sapcote
    12 May 2008
    flowering
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common Road, Elmesthorpe
    27 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth
    11 May 2015
  • David Gould
    The Spearwort Fields
    12 June 2016
  • Craig Mabbett
    Dunton Bassett Quarry
    16 July 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin
    12 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Western Park, Leicester
    14 June 2014
  • David Gould
    The Spearwort Fields, Aylestone, Leicester
    12 June 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Frolesworth
    11 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Granitethorpe Quarry, Sapcote
    31 May 2007
    fruits
  • David Nicholls
    Ratby
    24 May 2014
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson, Sand Pit Lane
    27 June 2013
  • David Nicholls
    Launde Fish Ponds
    22 September 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin
    12 May 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Witherley
    27 May 2015
    hairy leaves
  • Graham Calow
    Claybrooke Magna
    30 May 2016
  • David Nicholls
    Owston Wood
    14 June 2018