Carex nebrascensis

Carex nebrascensis is a species of sedge known by the common name Nebraska sedge. It is native to the western and central United States and into central Canada, where it grows in wetlands. It tolerates alkaline soils and submersion for long periods of time. This sedge produces upright, angled, spongy stems up to about 90 centimeters tall. The waxy, bluish leaves form tufts around the base of each stem. The root system is a very dense network of rhizomes. The flower cluster includes a few narrow staminate spikes above some wider pistillate spikes on short peduncles. The fruit is covered in a tough, slightly inflated sac called a perigynium which sometimes has a pattern of red spotting. Uses for this sedge include forage for livestock and wild animals, wetland restoration, control of erosion and soil compaction, and natural wetland wastewater treatment.