Cyperaceae

Carex

Carex cespitosa L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 978 (1753)

This species is accepted

The native range of this species is Temp. Eurasia. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Distribution
Synonyms
Classification
Publications
Other data

Native to:

Albania, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Inner Mongolia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Khabarovsk, Korea, Krasnoyarsk, Kuril Is., Magadan, Manchuria, Mongolia, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Primorye, Qinghai, Romania, Sakhalin, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Ukraine, West Siberia, Xinjiang, Yakutiya

Homotypic Synonyms

Carex stricta subsp. cespitosa (L.) Bonnier in G.E.M.Bonnier & R.C.V.Douin, Fl. Ill. France 11: 95 (1931), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex stricta subsp. cespitosa (L.) Douin in Bonnier, Fl. France 11: 95 (1931), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Limivasculum cespitosum (L.) Fedde & J.Schust. in Just's Bot. Jahresber. 41(2): 11 (1913 publ. 1918)
Neskiza cespitosa (L.) Raf. in Good Book: 27 (1840)
Vignea cespitosa (L.) Rchb. in J.C.Mössler, Handb. Gewächsk., ed. 2. 3: 1625 (1830)

Heterotypic Synonyms

Carex alpestris Lam. in Encycl. 3: 389 (1792), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex cespitosa f. acutiuscula Lackow. in Fl. Berl., ed. 12: 27 (1901)
Carex cespitosa var. alpina (Schur) Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 38): 329 (1909), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex cespitosa var. elongata Ohwi in Mem. Coll. Sci. Kyoto Imp. Univ., Ser. B, Biol. 6(5): 245 (1931)
Carex cespitosa var. filifolia Boott in Ill. Gen. Carex 4: 182 (1867)
Carex cespitosa var. hyalinosquamis Akiyama in Trans. Sapporo Nat. Hist. Soc. 14: 110 (1935)
Carex cespitosa var. latifolia Uechtr. ex Asch. & Graebn. in Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2(2): 87 (1902)
Carex cespitosa f. major (Peterm.) Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 38): 329 (1909)
Carex cespitosa subsp. minuta (Franch.) Vorosch. in A.K.Skvortsov (ed.), Florist. Issl. Razn. Raionakh SSSR: 153 (1985)
Carex cespitosa var. minuta (Franch.) Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 38): 329 (1909)
Carex cespitosa var. multifibrillosa Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 38): 329 (1909)
Carex cespitosa var. multiflora Neuman in Sver. Fl.: 708 (1901)
Carex cespitosa var. polystachya Peterm. in Anal. Pfl.-Schlüss.: 499 (1846)
Carex cespitosa f. retorta (Fr.) Sylvén in Opera Bot. 8: 100 (1963)
Carex cespitosa var. retorta Fr. in Bot. Not. 1843: 10 (1843)
Carex cespitosa var. rubra (H.Lév. & Vaniot) H.Lév. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 7: 104 (1909)
Carex cespitosa var. spreta (Steud.) Nyman in Consp. Fl. Eur.: 777 (1882)
Carex cespitosa var. strictiformis Almq. in L.M.Neuman, Sver. Fl.: 708 (1901)
Carex cespitosa var. strictissima Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 38): 329 (1909)
Carex cespitosa var. waisbeckeri Kük. in Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 7: 53 (1901)
Carex drejeri O.Lang in Flora 25: 548 (1842)
Carex erecta J.F.Gmel. in Syst. Nat., ed. 13[bis].: 145 (1791)
Carex fascicularis Siev. ex Trevir. in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 36(I): 543 (1863), pro syn.
Carex ferax J.F.Gmel. in Syst. Nat., ed. 13[bis].: 146 (1791)
Carex fridrichsthaliana Steud. in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 211 (1855)
Carex glabella Pabreža ex C.Regel in Scripta Horti Bot. Univ. Vytauti Magni 2: 32, 64 (1932)
Carex humilis Willd. ex Kunth in Enum. Pl. 2: 411 (1837), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex inaequalis J.F.Gmel. in Syst. Nat., ed. 13[bis].: 146 (1791)
Carex inumbrata V.I.Krecz. in V.L.Komarov (ed.), Fl. URSS 3: 218 (1935)
Carex minuta Franch. in Bull. Annuel Soc. Philom. Paris, sér. 8, 7: 41 (1895)
Carex neglecta (Peterm.) Peterm. in Flora 27: 331 (1844), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex neglecta var. major Peterm. in Flora 27: 331 (1844)
Carex nutans J.F.Gmel. in Syst. Nat., ed. 13[bis].: 146 (1791)
Carex obesa Schleich. ex Kunth in Enum. Pl. 2: 411 (1837), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex oligophylla Freyn in Oesterr. Bot. Z. 40: 305 (1890)
Carex pacifica Drejer in Fl. Excurs. Hafn.: 292 (1838)
Carex quinata J.F.Gmel. in Syst. Nat., ed. 13[bis].: 146 (1791)
Carex retorta (Fr.) V.I.Krecz. in V.L.Komarov (ed.), Fl. URSS 3: 598 (1935)
Carex rigida Clairv. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2, 1: 295 (1840), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex rubra H.Lév. & Vaniot in Bull. Acad. Int. Géogr. Bot., sér. 3, 19: 33 (1909)
Carex sororia Meinsh. in Fl. Ingr. Gouv. St. Petersburg: 404 (1878), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Carex spreta Steud. in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 212 (1855)
Carex usta Franch. in Bull. Annuel Soc. Philom. Paris, sér. 8, 7: 41 (1895), nom. illeg. homonym. post.
Vignantha drejeri (O.Lang) Schur in Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 706 (1866)
Vignantha drejeri var. alpina Schur in Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 706 (1866)
Vignea drejeri (O.Lang) Fuss in Fl. Transsilv.: 680 (1866)
Vignea neglecta Peterm. in Fl. Bienitz: 17 (1841)
Vignea pacifica (Drejer) Rchb. ex Nyman in Consp. Fl. Eur.: 777 (1882)

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Streptophyta
Class Equisetopsida
Subclass Magnoliidae
Order
Poales

View Order Tree opens in a new tab
Family
Cyperaceae

View Family Tree opens in a new tab
Genus
Carex

View in Tree of Life opens in a new tab
Species
Carex cespitosa

Kew's Tree of Life Explorer

Discover the flowering plant tree of life and the genomic data used to build it.

View the Tree of Life

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

Barina, Z., Pifkó, D. & Mesterházy, A. (2011). Contributions to the flora of Albania, 3. Willdenowia 41: 329-339.
Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2008). Flora Iberica 18: 1-420. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
Jiménezes-Mejías, P. & al. (2014). Carex cespitosa: reappraisal of its distribution in Europe. Willdenowia 44: 327-343.
Koopman, J. (2011). Carex Europaea. The Genus Carex L. (Cyperaceae) in Europe 1: 1-726. Margraf publishers,Weikersheim, Germany.
Kozhevnikov, A.E., Kozhevnikov, Z.V., Kwak, M. & Lee, B.Y. (2019). Illustrated flora of the Primorsky Territory, Russian Far East: 1-1124. National institute of biological resources.
Krasnoborov, I.M. & Armemov, I.A. (2012). Opredelitel' Rastenii Respublika Altai: 1-640. Novosibirsk: Izd-vo SO RAN.
Mirek, Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa, H., Zając, A. & Zając, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
Nikolin, E.G. (2020). Opredelitel' vysshikh rasteniy Yakutii: 1-895. Moskva : Tovarishchestvo Nauchnykh Izdaniy KMK Novosibirsk "Nauka".
Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.
Stalažs, A. (2024). List of vascular plants of Latvia (with Latvian names): 1-312. Dobele.
Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 23: 1-515. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Zhao, Y.Z., Zhao, L.Q. & Rui, C. (eds.) (2019). Flora Intramongolica, edition 3, 6: 1-619. Typis Intramongolicae popularis, Huhhot.

Kew Backbone Distributions

Barina, Z., Pifkó, D. & Mesterházy, A. (2011). Contributions to the flora of Albania, 3. Willdenowia 41: 329-339.
Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2008). Flora Iberica 18: 1-420. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
Jiménezes-Mejías, P. & al. (2014). Carex cespitosa: reappraisal of its distribution in Europe. Willdenowia 44: 327-343.
Krasnoborov, I.M. & Armemov, I.A. (2012). Opredelitel' Rastenii Respublika Altai: 1-640. Novosibirsk: Izd-vo SO RAN.
Ryabinina, Z.N. & Knyazev, M.S. (2009). Opredelitel sosudistykh rastenii Orenburgskoi oblasti: 1-757. Moskva: KMK.
Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

IPNI - The International Plant Names Index

Date	Reference	Identified As	Barcode	Type Status	Has image?
Sep 1, 2008	Waisbecker, A. [s.n.] Hungary		K000960439	Type	Yes
Sep 1, 2008	s.coll. [723.B] Russia		K000960440	Type	Yes
May 20, 1901	Bunge, A. [S.n.] Russia		K002218201		Yes
May 20, 1901	Littledale, T.H.; Littledale, S.G.R. [S.n.] Mongolia		K001615167		Yes
	s.coll. [5302] Japan		K002940117		Yes
	Price, M.P. [102] Mongolia		K000960595	Unknown Type Material	Yes
	Ledebour [S.n.] Russia		K001615166		Yes
	Licent, É. (Abbé) [3981] China		K002940115		Yes
	Laestadius [s.n.] Denmark		K002688067		Yes
	Zickendrath, E.; Kneucker, A. [24 (250 a IX)] Russia		K002688068		Yes
	Maack, R.K. [s.n.] Russia		K000960598	Unknown Type Material	Yes
	Syreisczikow, D.; Petunnikow, A. [793] Russia		K002688069		Yes
	Faurie, U.J. (Abbé) [5256] Japan		K002940120		Yes
	Linkola, K. [1844] Finland		K002688062		Yes
	Maximowicz, C.J. [s.n.] Russia		K000960596	Unknown Type Material	Yes
	s.coll. [5655] Japan		K002940118		Yes
	Komaróv, V. [269] Korea, North		K002940114		Yes
	Lindberg, H. [1845] Finland		K002688063		Yes
	Karo, F.K. [492] Russia		K000960597	Unknown Type Material	Yes
	s.coll. [s.n.] Denmark		K002688064		Yes
	s.coll. [s.n.] Denmark		K002688066		Yes
	s.coll. [723] Russia		K002688070		Yes
	[F. Miday] [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572158		Yes
	[C. B. G.] [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572163		Yes
	Hall, P.M. [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572162		Yes
	Lousley, J.E. [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572166		Yes
	Hall, P.M. [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572165		Yes
	s.coll. [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572159		Yes
	Murray, B.V. [s.n.] United Kingdom	Carex humilis	K002572164		Yes
	Drummond [s.n.] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807534		Yes
	Wilson, K.L.; Muasya, A. [9499] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807544		Yes
	Blake, S.T. [13881] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807539		Yes
	Ashley, B.F. [s.n.] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807540		Yes
	Drummond, J. [s.n.] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807533		Yes
	Blake, S.T. [13881] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807537		Yes
	Sharpe, P.; Levine, S. [1136] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807538		Yes
	Wilson, K.L.; Muasya, A. [9543] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807543		Yes
	Drummond [s.n.] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807535		Yes
	Smith, R.J.; Shade, A. [RJS053] Australia	Carex fascicularis	K002807536		Yes
	s.coll. [13480] Japan	Carex cespitosa var. minuta	K002940125		Yes
	Akiyama, S. [s.n.] Japan	Carex cespitosa var. minuta	K002940124		Yes
	s.coll. [10066] Japan	Carex cespitosa var. minuta	K002940123		Yes
	Faurie, U.J. (Abbé) [[5256]] Japan	Carex cespitosa var. minuta	K002940122		Yes
	Akiyama, S. [s.n.] Japan	Carex cespitosa var. minuta	K002940121		Yes

Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1
- Angiosperm Threat Predictions
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
- 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
- Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
IUCN Categories
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
Kew Backbone Distributions
- The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
- © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
- The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
- © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Kew Science Photographs
- Copyright applied to individual images

Carex cespitosa L.

Distribution

Native to:

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

Kew's Tree of Life Explorer

Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

Kew Backbone Distributions

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

IPNI - The International Plant Names Index

Sources

Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

IUCN Categories

Kew Backbone Distributions

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

Kew Science Photographs

Carex cespitosa L.

Distribution

Native to:

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

Kew's Tree of Life Explorer

Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

Kew Backbone Distributions

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

IPNI - The International Plant Names Index External Link

Herbarium Catalogue (44 records)

Sources

Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

IUCN Categories

Kew Backbone Distributions

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

Kew Science Photographs

IPNI - The International Plant Names Index