Readers should take this page with a good grain of salt as identification of sedges can be difficult. A quick visual classification of those I think I have identified: Single spike: prickly sedge, fox sedge, star sedge, quill sedge, thin-leaf sedge Drooping: fringed sedge, graceful sedge Big-fruited: bladder sedge, hop sedge Panicled: dark green bulrush Long and very thin stem: thin-leaf sedge, graceful sedge Winged stem: prickly sedge
Bladder sedge
Dark green bulrush
Fox sedge
Fringed sedge
Graceful sedge
Hop sedge
Prickly sedge
Quill sedge
Small-fruited bulrush
Star sedge
Thin-leaf sedge
Bladder sedge Carex intumescens The perigynia are swollen so they float. The closest species is Gray's sedge, Carex grayi. Its spikelet is rounder and it is said to be much the less common of the two in Ontario, so likely in western Quebec as well.
Bladder sedge
Bladder sedge
Bladder sedge perigynium (12 mm) and scale
Dark green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens
I am not sure about this one. It could be Scirpus microcarpus, shown below. There are several species looking much like this one but this looks like the best fit. S microcarpus may be smaller. S georgianus and S hattorianus have stalkless spikelets. S polyphyllus has 10 or more leaves on its stem. Dark green bulrush is about 3 feet tall. Comparing the scales of S hattorianus, S polyphyllis, S georgianus and this one, the awn appears to be the correct length for S atrovens. The size of the cluster appears correct, with hattorianus being somewhat smaller. S georgianus seems to be rarer. From my observation, it grows in "stands" and the leaves are a darker green than most foliage around it.
Dark green bulrush
Dark green bulrush
Fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea
In June, July it is a single spike, yellowish.
Fox sedge
Fox sedge
Fox sedge perigynia 3 mm
Fringed sedge Carex crinita
I am reasonably confident about this identification. The closest species appears to by nodding sedge (Carex gynandra) which is said to have a much shorter stem leaf than the over 2 ft leaf I see on this plant. There seems to always be a leaf which arches well over the top of the sedge and beyond. Also, C crinita has a smooth stem sheath whereas C. gynandra's is rough. Rothfels description of 60 sedges in Hamilton/Halton/Peel, Ontario (http://ontariograsses.com/sedges/crsedges.php) does not mention C gynandra. It can be somewhat variable in appearance.
Fringed sedge; forms large tufts of high, arching blades; only a few plants in the tufts have spikelets
Graceful sedge Carex gracillis
Very thin-stalked.
Graceful sedge
Graceful sedge - male flower on left
Graceful sedge
Hop sedge Carex lupulina
Hop sedge
Star sedge Carex echinata There are several very similar sedges: Inland sedge (C interior), sterile sedge (C sterilis). The shape of the perigynia with their long extended beak is the main differentiating feature. It is said to be rare in the Hamilton-Peel region re Rothfels at http://ontariograsses.com/sedges/crsedges.php but perhaps not in this area.
Star sedge
Star sedge
Small-fruited bulrush Scirpus microcarpus
Unsure. There seem to be about 4 similar species. This one is said to have purplish colour on the stem. On the ones I see there are small smudges of that colour. This one is said to have two styles not three as the other similar species do. It might, from what I see under the microscope.
Small-fruited bulrush
Prickly sedge Carex stipata
Seems to be very fragile. Handling one at all caused it to fold over. When looking at a group of them from above, the stem of each with spikelets have three thin curving leaves arching above. The stem is compressible, spongy and winged. I checked the size and form of the perigynia under the microscope and it seems to match the descriptions.
Prickly sedge
Prickly sedge - tall, thin, grooved, spongy stems with leaves only at the bottom; forms tufts
Prickly sedge perigynia (5 mm) and scales
Quill sedge Carex tenera I am not sure about this one. It is part of the ovales group. Here are species which are said to be very close and why they don't appear to match. C projecta: translucent wings abruptly taper half way along perigynium body C foenea: translucent wings don't extend to the base of perigynium C. scoparia: translucent wings abruptly taper half way along perigynium body C. echinoides: could be although the translucent wings are narrower than what I see
Quill sedge
Quill sedge - perigynia measure 4 mm tip to tip
Thins-leaf sedge Carex cephaloidea
Very thin stem with leaves basal. Looks like prickly sedge but the length of the inflorescence is much less. Only a couple of inches at the top have perigynia.