Cushion sedge

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Cushion sedge
Upholstery sedge (Carex firm) in the Austrian Alps

Upholstery sedge ( Carex firm ) in the Austrian Alps

Systematics
Monocots
Commelinids
Order : Sweet grass (Poales)
Family : Sourgrass family (Cyperaceae)
Genre : Sedges ( Carex )
Type : Cushion sedge
Scientific name
Carex company
Host

The upholstered sedge ( Carex firm ) is a plant species from the sour grass family (Cyperaceae) that grows over calcareous rock in the alpine turf . The cushion sedge is a cold and wind-hard pioneer plant .

The botanical name ( firm = firm) refers to the dense, firm growth of the plant.

description

Carex firma's leaves are clearly arranged in three rows, as is typical for sour grasses. Orange the free-living golden alga Trentepohlia aurea

The perennial herbaceous plant reaches heights between 5 and 20 centimeters and forms up to 30 centimeters wide, dense cushions.

The rosette-like leaves are widely protruding and often spread out horizontally on the ground. The dark green, stiff leaves are usually up to 5 centimeters long (shorter than 8 centimeters) and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. At most in shady, slightly (air) damp locations, these can be up to 10 centimeters long. The blade is narrowed evenly from the base to the tip (triangular-linear). The evergreen leaves are shingled in three rows and thus protect the young shoots at the base. The yellow leaf sheaths are not frayed.

The upright stalks are bluntly triangular and thin. They are longer than the leaves (at least twice as long), which means that they tower above them. At the top they are slightly arched.

The upholstery sedge is single sexed ( monoecious ). Each inflorescence has one to three female, short-stalked spikes and only one terminal male spike. The female ears are 5 to 10 millimeters long. The keeled bracts are brown, with a green, finally, light brown central stripe. There are three stigmas on the female flowers. The fruit sacs are 3.5 to 4.5 (5) millimeters long, lanceolate and more or less rough on the edge.

The flowering period is from June to August.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 34, rarely 68.

ecology

The plant gains a foothold wherever horizontal surfaces exist and often covers them in almost pure stands. A typical step lawn often forms on steep slopes. The plant only has superficial roots, which means that entire cushions can easily peel off. Since the cushions are much wider than they are high, they still have a good hold. For mountaineers and climbers, these deceptive steps can only be climbed with great caution.

In the limestone rubble, the bulkhead stabilizes the moving material with the fixed clumps. Other, less specialized plants can then settle in their protection.

In the exposed, sunny locations there is a strong alternation between frost and warming. This supports an early solidification of the tissue and delays the rotting. Even dead parts can therefore store larger amounts of water. The upholstery is pervaded by an intrinsic humus created from dead plant parts, which can store additional moisture like a sponge.

The upholstered sedge does not provide fodder for cattle and only serves as a poor goat pasture.

Occurrence

distribution

It has a central to southern European distribution and occurs in the Pyrenees , Alps , Apennines and Carpathians .

In Austria , the upholstered sedge is often found in all federal states except Burgenland and Vienna from the upper montane to alpine altitude . In Switzerland it occurs in the alpine region up to the edge of the Swiss plateau. In Germany it only occurs in the south of Bavaria.

Location and socialization

The lichen Cetraria tilesii thrives in dense upholstered sedge grass

The limestone plant often prefers wind-exposed, shallow limestone grasslands and rock corridors as a location .

It is the eponymous character type of the association Caricetum firmae ("Firmetum"), in German upholstered sedge. This plant community thrives above all in the alpine zone and extends up to 3000 meters above sea level. In addition to the upholstered sedge itself, the following species are typical in the Firmetum: white silver arum ( Dryas octopetala ), dwarf stendel ( Chamorchis alpina ), stalkless cucumber ( Silene acaulis ), auricles ( Primula auricula ) or the yellow shrub lichen Cetraria tilesii . In the Allgäu Alps it occurs relatively deep in the Tyrolean part in a light pine forest to the left of the Lech between Stanzach and Weißenbach at 1100 meters above sea level.

Carex firma can withstand wind and drought as well as snow and seepage water very well. The direct contact between the roots and the lime substrate is important. The ground is never very thick and lies directly on the bedrock as a black pitch trend . The calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) content (30 to 90%) and the pH value (6.5 to 7.2) are very high, the humus content is low (22%).

literature

  • Manfred A. Fischer, Wolfgang Adler, Karl Oswald: Excursion flora for Austria, Liechtenstein and South Tyrol . 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. State of Upper Austria, Biology Center of the Upper Austrian State Museums, Linz 2005, ISBN 3-85474-140-5 .
  • Karlheinz Senghas, Siegmund Seybold: Flora of Germany and neighboring countries. A book for identifying vascular plants that grow wild and often cultivated. Founded by Otto Schmeil, Jost Fitschen. 92nd revised edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2003, ISBN 3-4940-1328-4 .
  • Dietmar Aichele, Heinz-Werner Schwegler: Our grasses. Sweet grasses, sour grasses, rushes . 11th edition. Kosmos, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-440-07613-X .
  • Herbert Reisigl, Richard Keller: Alpine plants in the habitat. Alpine lawn, rubble and rock vegetation. Vegetation-ecological information for studies, excursions and hikes. 2nd, edited edition. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart / Jena / New York 1994, ISBN 3-437-20516-1 .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Tropicos. [1]
  2. ↑ Erhard Dörr, Wolfgang Lippert : Flora of the Allgäu and its surroundings. Volume 1, IHW, Eching 2001, ISBN 3-930167-50-6 , p. 275.

Web links

Commons : Carex firma  - album with pictures, videos and audio files