Brome-like Sedge Carex bromoides

Common brome sedge is a Carex species, a typical sedge in the Cyperaceae family. It is native to a large portion of eastern North America from New Brunswick west to Minnesota and south to Florida and Texas.  

This sedge requires hydric soils and does best in partial shade. In natural settings it occurs in various wetlands including bogs, swamp forests, and seepages, often in basic soils. Within NC, it is most frequent in the Mountains. This is an ideal plant for rain gardens and pond edges. It provides similar benefits as other wetland plants, including bank stabilization and water filtration. Like other native Carex, it is ecologically important and utilized by a variety of animals. 

Common brome sedge forms dense tufts of culms with narrow basal leaves. It can spread by underground rhizomes. The inflorescence is rather narrow and located at the summit of each culm. It consists of 3-8 spikelets, each consisting of 6-18 female florets. Male florets, when present, are below the female florets on the spikelet. Two subspecies are recognized: ssp. bromoides is widespread, while ssp. montana is restricted to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains. The latter differs in having wider culms, wider leaf blades, and a more dense habit, among other subtle differences.