Wisconsin's rare plants

False hop sedge is a graminoid, 20cm-1.3m tall, with 2-6 proximal female spikes, distal spikes are usually crowded, ascending, densely flowered, usually cylindric, much longer than broad, it has 1-2 terminal male spikes. Its perigynia are ascending to spreading, inflated, strongly veined, sessile, lance-ovoid, shiny, and glabrous, the beak is conical, achenes are stipitate, broadly diamond-shaped, scarcely, if at all, longer than wide, with concave faces, thickened angles, prominently knobbed with hard, nipplelike points. It has 4-7 leaves, basal sheaths are brownish, sheath of distal leaf is 3-21cm, ligules are rounded to triangular. Pistillate scales are 3-9-veined, lanceolate, with acute to awned apexes, awns are rough.

Distinguishing characteristics include its spikelets, which are much longer than broad, inflated perigynia, ascending to spreading, with toothed beaks, and broadly diamond-shaped achenes, that are scarcely, if at all, longer than wide, with thickened and prominently knobbed angles with hard, nipple-like points.

Rhizomatous. Blooming occurs early-June through early-October, fruiting late-July through October.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is early-August through September.

Associated species include Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer rubrum, A saccharinum, Ulmus americana, Ranunculus flabellaris, Penthorum sedoides, Glyceria grandis, Carex crus-corvi, and C tuckermanii.

False hop sedge prefers wet soils and is found in floodplain forests and ephemeral woodland ponds.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid direct disturbance to sensitive microsites such as seeps, cliffs, and moss-covered boulders.

Avoid direct disturbance near wet areas such as small ponds, ephemeral ponds, or swales within woodlands.

Buffer management around unique microhabitats such as ephemeral ponds, seeps, etc.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Maintain partial canopy to encourage woodland species, avoid closed-canopy conditions.

Survey for and control invasive plants prior to conducting timber operations, as these can be spread by vehicles and often respond vigorously to increased light. See forestry BMPs for invasive species.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.