NATURESCENE'S FLORA of the CÉVENNES
Identification of rushes, sedges and grasses

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This is a simple guide to identifying all the difficult rushes, sedges and grasses of the Cévennes, down to a small group level.
It has been designed by the author to improve his personal (and limited) knowledge of these plants, and bring a wider range of these often overlooked plants to the Naturescene site.

Simply follow the key down and click on the first plant of the group (after noting how many in the group.)
Advance by clicking on 'Next' In the tablet version, you can continue through every plant in the area

In the on-line web version, only those plants found to date will be displayed (hence sometimes a non-operative link)

LET'S BEGIN!

Either:-	JUNCACEAE—RUSH FAMILY	Flowers like normal flowers		2 x 3 tepals; 1 or 2 x 3 stamens; 3 stigmas Flowers in clusters (inflorescences), with small individual 'classic' flowers. Leaves may be grass-like straps, or tubular.
or:-	CYPERACEAE—SEDGE FAMILY	Plants grass-like, with no obvious petal structure		Each flower has no petals, no perianth (except some with bristly perianth becoming silky in fruit). Most (Carex species) have a single flower subtended by a single glume (bract), making a spikelet. These are grouped into spikes. Other genera have a several flowers subtended by a single glume (bract), making a spikelet. These spikelets may be solitary or grouped into spikes. Stem usually triangular.
or:-	POACEAE—GRASS FAMILY	Plants grass-like, rather unsurprisingly, with no obvious petal structure		Flowers grouped in a spikelet; spikelets grouped in a spike = the inflorescence Each flower has no petals, no perianth Small group of flowers, (or more rarely a single flower) grouped in a spikelet, subtended by two glumes (bracts), each flower perhaps extended into an awn. Stem usually round.

JUNCACEAE—RUSH FAMILY

Flowers like normal flowers 2 x 3 tepals; 1 or 2 x 3 stamens; 3 stigmas.

Leaves may be grass-like straps, or tubular. Flowers in clusters (inflorescences) with small individual flowers.

Juncaceae - the RUSH family (species Juncus and Luzula)

Flowers like normal flowers		Petals and sepals small, and similar
	Either:-	Juncus species		leaves hairless, many seeds
	or:-	Luzula species		Hairy along stem, at least at base

Juncus species of the Juncaceae family

Leaves hariless

Juncus species - RUSHES

Juncus species		leaves hairless, many seeds. Single cluster of flowers per stem. Leaf may be tubular or grass-like. Grows as a cluster, or along rhizomes	Check: Texture of stem (pith, corrugated) and leaves (compartments). Clump or rhizome. Height of tepals/fruit. Seeds.
	Either:-	Inflorescence appears below stem tip (‘bract’ above, which is a stem-like leaf)	4 species in the Cévennes. Start with Juncus inflexus		Also Juncus effusus, Juncus conglomeratus, Juncus filiformis
	or:-	Inflorescence at stem tip
		Either:- (Inflorescence at stem tip)	Leaves compartmented across blade (feel with fingers)		5 species in the Cévennes. Start with Juncus articulatus		Also Juncus alpino-articulatus, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus striatus, Juncus pygmaeus (also next group, as compartments not always obvious)
		or:- (Inflorescence at stem tip)	Leaves not compartmented, tubular		2 species in the Cévennes. Start with Juncus pygmaeus	(also in previous group, as leaves slightly knotty)	Also Juncus bulbosus
		or:- (Inflorescence at stem tip)	Leaves not compartmented, blade flat or with canal		7 species in the Cévennes. Start with Juncus squarrosus		Also Juncus compressus, Juncus trifidus, Juncus tenuis, Juncus capitatus, Juncus bufonius, Juncus tenageia

Luzula species of the Juncaceae family

Leaves hairy (at least at base). Few seeds, with a food store (called an 'elaiosome') attached for ants

Luzula species - WOODRUSHES

Luzula Hairy along stem.		Check: Colour of tepals. Seeds for elaiosome and general shape.
	Either:-	Each individual flower has a long stalk. Seeds with elaiosome 0.6mm	3 species in the Cévennes. Start with Luzula forsteri		Also Luzula luzulina, Luzula pilosa
	or:-	Individual flowers do not have own stalk
		Either:-	Flowers remain whitish or reddish as they fade, branched glomeruli (flower clusters), entire leaf hairy	3 species in the Cévennes. Start with Luzula nivea		Also Luzula luzuloides, Luzula sylvatica (also next group, as variable)
		or:-	Flowers dark brown as they fade, small glomeruli, no eliaosome	2 species in the Cévennes. Start with Luzula sylvatica (also previous group, as variable)		Also Luzula desvauxii
		or:-	Flowers dark brown as they fade, large glomeruli, obvious eliaosome	5 species in the Cévennes. Start with Luzula campestris		Also Luzula multiflora, Luzula congesta, Luzula sudetica, Luzula spicata

CYPERACEAE—SEDGE FAMILY– FAMILLE DES LAICHES

Plants grass-like, with no obvious petal structure

Each flower has no petals, no perianth (except some with bristly perianth becoming silky in fruit e.g. Eriophorum).
Most (Carex species) have a single flower subtended by a single glume (bract), making a spikelet. These are grouped into spikes.
Other genera have a several flowers subtended by a single glume (bract), making a spikelet. These spikelets may be solitary or branched or grouped into spikes.

Leaves often reduced to sheaths, mostly triangular stems.
Each flower is either just 1-3 stamens, or ovary with 2-3 styles, or both

Cyperaceae - the SEDGE family (main species Carex, Eriophorum and Eleocharis)

Plants grass-like, with no obvious petal structure		No petals, no perianth (except some with bristly perianth becoming silky in fruit)
	Either:-	Carex - true sedges. Each individual flower (spikelet) is either male or female. Spikelets grouped into spikes on separate areas of same stalk, or rarely male and female spikes on different stalks. Triangular stem. 53 species of this genus in Cévennes National Park	see 'True sedges' table
	or:-	Not true sedges Male and female parts together in each spikelet. Spikelet contains a group of flowers, often tightly grouped as an inflorescence at the stem tip	See 'not true sedges' table

True sedges - Carex species of the Cyperaceae family

Warning: sedges can be very variable, and several plants must be examined to determine typical features. Thus one photo may be misleading.
For full identification of many species, the flower and the seed structure is needed, but this key should help narrow the field.

True sedges - Carex species.

Carex		Each individual flower (spikelet) is either male or female. Spikelets grouped into spikes on separate areas of same stalk, or rarely male and female spikes on different stalks	Check: sex of each spikelet (flower) within the spike (inflorescence)
	Either:-	Spikes dissimilar, with distinctive separate male and female spikes along stem		see 'Carex: Separate male and female spikes'
	or:-	Spikes all similar along stem, with male and female flowers on same spikes along multi-spike stem		see 'Carex: several spikes along stem with combination of male and female flowers'
	or:-	Single spike on stem, usually unisex, occasionally male and female	1 species in the Cévennes Carex davalliana

Carex: Separate male and female spikes

Carex: 1 of 2 sub-groups		Spikes dissimilar, with distinctive male and female spikes along stem	Check: Do most spikes overlap, especially the male and top female spikes? Note: very variable, examine several spikes
	Either:-	(most) spikes overlapping, clustered together at tip	9 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex flava		Also Carex umbrosa, Carex tomerntosa,Carex lepidocarpa, Carex mairei and in drier areas, Carex pilulifera, Carex caryophyllea, Carex pallescens, Carex montana
	or:-	Spikes not overlapping One male spike (or a tiny 2nd), females on peduncles. Often in dryish or woodland areas.	14 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex liparocarpos		Also Carex halleriana, Carex sylvatica, Carex digitata, Carex frigida, Carex panicea, Carex distans, Carex alba, Carex olbiensis, Carex depauperata, Carex depressa subsp. basilaris, Carex limosa, Carex punctata, Carex strigosa
	or:-	Spikes not overlapping one male spike (or a tiny 2nd), females not on peduncles (except perhaps lowest)	8 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex humilis		Also Carex otrubae, Carex pendula (variable no. of male spikes) , Carex demissa, Carex hostiana, Carex ornithopoda. Carex brachystachys
	or:-	Spikes not overlapping male spikes more than 1 (usually)	8 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex nigra		Also Carex rostrata, Carex vesicaria, Carex flacca, Carex hirta, Carex acuta, Carex riparia, Carex acutiformis

Carex: several spikes along stem with combination of male and female flowers

Carex: 2 of 2 sub-groups	Spikes not clearly differentiated into male spikes and female spikes
	Either:-	spikes all similar, with individual male and female flowers on single spike on stem	3 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex pulicaris		Also Carex oedipostyla, Carex pauciflora
	or:-	spikes all similar, with male and female flowers on same spikes along multi-spike stem
		If multi-spike stem,either:-	spikes usually stalkless, and overlapping in a dense roundish inflorescence at tip of stem	9 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex echinata		Also Carex paniculata, Carex canescens, Carex distachya, Carex pairae, Carex spicata, Carex leporina, Carex vulpina, Carex disticha
		If multi-spike stem,or:-	spikes usually stalkless, but not overlapping in a lax inflorescence; or lower spikes stalked	1 species in the Cévennes. Start with Carex divulsa		Also Carex remota

Sedge family but not true sedges (i.e. not Carex spp.)

Same family (Cyperaceae) as Carex, but not true sedges

Several genera		Male and female parts together in each spikelet	Check: form of spikelet, leafy bracts around inflorescence, leaves
	Either:-	Glumes in 2 ranks (like barley), all individual flowers bisexual	see Cyperus and Schoenus
	or:-	Glumes in a spiral, all individual flowers bisexual	see Eriophorum (cotton grass), Eleocharis and Scirpus

Sedge family but not true sedges - 1 of 2 groups Glumes in 2 ranks

Non-Carex: Male and female flowers together: Glumes in 2 ranks :

Cyperus and Schoenus		Glumes in 2 ranks (like barley), one or several large leaf-like bracts just below inflorescence
	Either:-	Cyperus spp.: - inflorescence with leafy rosette of bracts below. Triangular stem.	4 species in the Cévennes. Start with Cyperus longus		Also Cyperus badius, Cyperus esculentus, Cyperus eragrositis
	or:-	Schoenus spp.: clustered inflorescence of 5-20 spikelets of 1-4 flowers, with l tall bract, 1 small below. Round stem	1 species in the Cévennes. Schoenus nigricans

Sedge family but not true sedges - 2 of 2 groups Glumes in a spiral

Non-Carex: Male and female flowers together: Glumes in a spiral:

Eriophorum, Eleocharis and Scirpus types		Perianth of bristles (effectively the remnants of petals/sepals), which often elongate considerably to surround the fruit
	Either:-	Eriophorum spp.		Perianth of bristles which become long cottony threads in fruit. Tendency for triangular tip to stems	4 species in the Cévennes. Start with Eriophorum angustifolium	Also Eriophorum latifolium, Eriophorum vaginatum, Eriophorum gracile
	or:-	Eleocaris spp.		Single round stem, leaf reduced to sheath, and compressed terminal inflorescence. Perianth -> bristly silks in fruit	6 species in the Cévennes. Start with Eleocharis palustris	Also Eleocharis quinquiflora, Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis ovata, Eleocharis multicaulis, Eleocharis uniglumis
	or:-	Rhynchospora spp.		Clustered inflorescence of white flowers. Triangular stem.	1 species in the Cévennes. Rhynchospora alba
	or:-	Scirpus and similar species		Inflorescence subtended by tall ‘leaf blade’ (bract), mostly with bristles that become silky in fruit (previously all ‘Scirpus’ spp.)	5 species in the Cévennes. Choose from those below
		Either:-	(Scirpus type with single tall bract)	Loose drooping much-branched terminal inflorescence with leaf-like bracts, perianth of bristles which remain fairly short in fruit. Triangular stems.	Scirpus sylvaticus
		or:-	(Scirpus type with single tall bract)	Tall, tight clustered terminal inflorescences, with very tall leaf-like bract, no bristles. Round stems.	Scirpoides holoschoenus
		or:-	(Scirpus type with single tall bract)	Like Scirpoides, but tiny. Round stems.	Isolepis setacea
		or:-	(Scirpus type with single tall bract)	Like Isolepis, but taller spikes, stems with triangular tips perianth -> silky bristles around fruit	Blysmus compressus
		or:-	(Scirpus type with single tall bract)	Like Eleocaris, with single stem and compressed terminal inflorescence , but has 1 small leaf, silky bristles around fruit. Round stem.	Trichophorum cespitosum

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