Sedges of Langcliffe Locks Millpond
There are two sedges flowering in the water of the Langcliffe Mill pond at the moment: Lesser Pond-sedge (which is very big) and at the edge the Common Sedge - Carex nigra.
At least two more can be found near the outflow cascade: Spring sedge on the dry heavily grazed bank over the netting in the field, and Glaucous Sedge Carex flacca by the path (not grazed).
1. Lesser Pond-sedge Carex acutiformis
The Lesser Pond-sedge covers a large area. It spreads by rhizomes. It is fascinating to see how the plants at the edge next to the open water are so much bigger than the ones further back.
It has big leaves, more than 1cm wide, and the undersurface of the leaves is whiter than the upper surface. The base of the shoots at ground level have hints of red in them. They have fibrillae.
The female flowers have three stigmas.
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| Cares acutiformis - Lesser Pond-sedge The plants nearest open water are growing tallest. 24 May 2020 |
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| Fibrillae on the lower sheaths |
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Three stigmas per flower
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| Carex acutiformis Lesser Pond-sedge - at overflow with midges. |
2. Common Sedge Carex nigra
This has narrow leaves (c 3mm wide) is here growing in small tufts in the water near the footpath in several different places. and each set of tufts look very different. It can also grow on wet moorland, a different habitat to this base rich pond.
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| Carex nigra usually has narrow (3mm) very upright leaves. The upper surface has more stomata than the lower surface and is usually slightly more glaucous than the lower surface. |
3. Spring Sedge Carex caryophyllea
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| Spring Sedge on heavily grazed grassland just over the fence. Perhaps the rain last week has enabled the drought hit plants to grow quicker than the sheep can eat them this week. |
It came over a out a month ago: on 17 April just half a mile further up the Ribble
It has a club shaped, chestnut coloured male head.
When they are young they look very similar to Pill Sedge - Carex-pilulifera -as found on the roche moutonnees at Settle Golf Course on 25 April seen below: The Pill Sedge male head is narrower - I would like to go back and check this.
4. Glaucous Sedge - Carex flacca
This is on the path next to the netting at the overflow. The female heads are on stalks so can dangle and look graceful. (Sometimes you have to bend the stalk). the under-surface of the blades are whiter than the upper surface.
Click here for more flowers coming out around Settle
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