ESSEX   BOTANY   AND   MYCOLOGY  GROUPS 

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Carex elata All.                                                                                                                       Tufted-sedge                                   ___________________________________________________________________________________

 Essex status:  Possibly now extinct. 

This densely tufted, often tussock-forming, perennial sedge without spreading rhizomes, must rely on seed to spread itself, which probably explains why it turns up occasionally in unexpected places. It occurs in eutrophic, often base-rich fen, by fen drains, in reed swamps and by ponds lakes and rivers, and seems able to withstand fluctuating water levels. Its U.K. distribution is somewhat uncertain, as it has been over recorded in error for the tussock form of the closely related C. nigra, which tends to develop in reed swamp and fen habitats, and voucher specimens are required before records will be accepted. Only C. acuta, C. nigra and C. elata of our southern sedges have just 2 (as opposed to 3) stigmas. Of the three, C. elata is unique in lacking far creeping rhizomes. It also differs from C. nigra in having conspicuously reticulate fibrous basal leaf sheaths, the lowest bract shorter than its own spike, no stomata on the upper leaf surface (mostly above in C. nigra), and its leaf margins rolling outwards (as opposed to inwards in C. nigra) on drying (Sell & Murrell, 1996). Its main strongholds, are in Cumberland, on Anglesey, and in the fen country of Cambs., Suffolk and Norfolk, with scattered sites elsewhere north to Scotland. There have been extensive losses however, in Lincs. and Cambs. due to fenland drainage. Post 1970 it has been seen in 146 hectads nationally with losses from 103.