Carex chordorrhiza, commonly called creeping sedge or string sedge, is a species of perennial plant in the family Cyperaceae with Holarctic distribution growing in acidic bogs.
Growth form and classification
Carex chordorrhiza has an unusual growth habit, where prostrate stems produce new shoots the following year.[1] Using this means of growth, C. chordorrhiza can grow vegetatively by up to 70 centimetres (28 in) per year. This habit is considered so distinct from all other Carex species that C. chordorrhiza is placed in its own section, Carex sect. Chordorrhizae,[1] although similar habits are seen in other species such as Carex limosa.[2]
Description
The culms of C. chordorrhiza are 5–32 cm (2–13 in) long, and are initially erect. As they mature, the stems become prostrate and can reach a length of 120 cm (47 in).[3] The inflorescences are 5–16 mm (0.20–0.63 in) long and 4–12 mm (0.16–0.47 in) wide.[3]