Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

Home ⟩ Pictorial Guide ⟩ Cyperaceae ⟩ Carex vulpina / true fox sedge

Carex vulpina L.

true fox sedge (Cyperaceae)

 SpreadBias within British IslesDirection of bias
LocalVery strong tendencySE
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Carex vulpina is a rare sedge, mostly found in base-rich flood-plains in southern England; it was long confused with the much more common C. otrubae.

Sandhurst (VC33: East Gloucestershire); 2025-07-09

 true fox sedge / Carex vulpina: _Carex vulpina_ is a rare sedge, mostly found in base-rich flood-plains in southern England; it was long confused with the much more common _C. otrubae_.

Carex vulpina has darker brown spikes than C. otrubae, shorter bracts, rounder cells in the epidermis, perforated leaf-sheaths, along with some other subtle differences.

Sandhurst (VC33: East Gloucestershire); 2025-07-09

 true fox sedge / Carex vulpina: _Carex vulpina_ has darker brown spikes than _C. otrubae_, shorter bracts, rounder cells in the epidermis, perforated leaf-sheaths, along with some other subtle differences.

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne