Taxon Report
Carex hystericina Muhl.porcupine sedge |
 ©2014 Robert E. Preston, Ph.D. |
Taxon Summary
Carex hystericina, commonly known as porcupine sedge, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Cyperaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Marshes and swamps, growing at elevations from 610 to 2400 meters. Carex hystericina is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.Classification
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Scientific Name: |
Carex hystericina Muhl. |
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Common Name: |
porcupine sedge |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Element Code: | PMCYP036D0 |
| USDA Plants Symbol: | CAHY4 |
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Synonyms/Other Names: |
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Ecology and Life History
| Lifeform: | perennial rhizomatous herb |
| Blooming Period: May-Jun | May-Jun |
| Elevation: | 610-2400 (2000-7875) |
| General Habitats: | Marshes and swamps |
| Microhabitat: | |
| Microhabitat Details: |
Conservation Status
| CA Rare Plant Rank: | 2B.1 |
| Global Rank: | G5 |
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State Rank: |
S2 |
| State List: | None |
| Fed List: | None |
| Other Status: | |
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CRPR Changes: |
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Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
| Total Occurrences: | 4 |
| Element Occurrence Ranks: | |
| Excellent (A) | 0 |
| Good (B) | 1 |
| Fair (C) | 1 |
| Poor (D) | 0 |
| None (X) | 0 |
| Unknown (U) | 2 |
| California Endemic: False | |
| California Counties and Islands: Name (Code) | |
| Alpine (ALP), El Dorado (ELD), Lake (LAK), Siskiyou (SIS), Trinity (TRI)* | |
| Quads: Name (Quad Code) | |
| Bark Shanty Gulch (4112345), Bartlett Springs (3912226), Caples Lake (3812061), Carson Pass (3811968), Echo Lake (3812071), Freel Peak (3811978), Lewiston (4012267)*, Somes Bar (4112344) | |
Threat List Data from the CNDDB
| Threat List Total: | 1 | |
| EOs with Threat Listed: | Total EOs | % of EOs |
| 1 | 25 % | |
| Road/trail construction/maint. | 1 | 25% |
Selected References
| Carex hystericina profile for potential Species of Conservation Concern evaluation (2018) |
Citation
California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 4 November 2025].