PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

New England Sedge (Carex novae-angliae)

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Photo by Robert Freckmann

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

New England Sedge (Carex novae-angliae), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in moist woods, especially in moist openings and ecotonal areas between mesic hardwoods and lower wet habitats. Blooming occurs early-June through early-July, fruiting mid-June through early-July. The optimal identification period for this species is early-June through early-July.

 
 
 

New England sedge has an inflorescences with both male and 2-3 proximal, female spikes, cauline spikes are remote, non-overlapping, proximal 2 are usually separated by more than 7mm, with 3-10 perigynia, which are pale green, veinless, ellipsoid, and longer than wide. Beak is straight, pale green, with apical teeth, achenes are dark brown, and obovoid to ellipsoid. Blades are 1-2mm wide, green, equaling or exceeding the culms, herbaceous, smooth to papillose abaxially, weakly scabrous adaxially. The lowest inflorescence bracts are 18-35mm long, 3/4 as long as or exceeding inflorescence.

It can be distinguished from C albicans by its very delicate appearance, loose cespitose habit, widely spaced pistillate spikelets, and long bract on the lowest inflorescence.

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

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is early-June through early-July.

Luzula acuminata is an associated species.

New England sedge is found in moist woods, especially in moist openings and ecotonal areas between mesic hardwoods and lower wet habitats.

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 locating landings, staging areas, or access routes on or near known populations.

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

Avoid site preparation that heavily disturbs herbaceous ground layer and soil, including bulldozing and furrowing, as well as grubbing and stump removal.

This species requires shaded habitat conditions, maintain high forest canopy cover.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Although maintaining high overall forest canopy is important, silvicultural techniques that open small gaps in the canopy may be beneficial to this species. Seedlings and saplings of some species in openings may need to be protected from deer browse.

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.