Habitat ²

Marshes, swamp forests, usually on rotten stumps, floating logs, or bases of trees (often Taxodium) or shrubs (Cephalanthus) on lake, pond, and slough margins; 0–300m.

Ecology ³

Log sedge is a relatively long-lived perennial species, bearing perigynia in mid-summer (Crispin and Penskar 1990, MI NFI 1990). Bryson (pers. comm.) stated that plants found in 1983 are still persisting in Mississippi. It is not known, however, how old these plants may be.

Carex decomposita is not a weedy species (Bryson pers. comm.). Typical populations range in size from one to several hundred (300-500) clumps in an area of 50-75 acres. Largest oxbow habitats in Mississippi range from 150-200 acres in size (Bryson pers. comm.). At the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi, a huge population explosion occurred after the cutting of the numerous cypress trees, with C. decomposita plants growing on stumps and fallen logs, trunks and branches.

Carex decomposita may require something associated with the cypress, buttonbush or tupelo bases, trunks or logs for successful germination or growth (Bryson pers. comm.). Whether this association may only serve to raise the plants above the seasonal high-water levels, or whether there is some other benefit is still unknown. Jones (pers. comm.) stated that dispersal of C. decomposita may be facilitated by wood ducks, egrets and other water birds. Seeds may be carried on the feet of the birds and fall off when they come to rest on a fallen log or cypress stump.

Sources and Credits

1. Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS. 1991. Southern wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. South National Technical Center, Fort Worth. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute., no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carex_decomposita_NRCS-1.jpg
2. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/21498710
3. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29112348

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• World Flora Online

iNat Map