Kingdom Plantae Family Cyperaceae Subgenus C. subg. Carex Rank Species | Order Poales Genus Carex Section C. sect. Frigidae | |
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Similar Carex curvula, Carex ferruginea, Shortleaved sedge, Carex frigida, Carex atrata | ||
Carex firma is a species of sedge that grows in the mountains of southern and central Europe.
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Description
Carex firma forms thick cushions. Its leaves are up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long in normal conditions (up to 10 cm or 4 in in moist, sheltered localities), dark green and stiff. The stems are up to 20 cm (7.9 in) tall (exceptionally 30 cm or 12 in), but always at least twice as long as the leaves.
Ecology
In synecology, Carex firma is a characteristic part of the "Caricetum firmae" (also called "Firmetum"), which is an important community in the alpine zone over calcareous rock.
Carex firma can survive temperatures as low as −50 °C (−58 °F).
Taxonomy
Carex firma was first described by Nicolaus Thomas Host in 1797, in his work Synopsis Plantarum in Austria provinciisque adjacentibus sponte crescentium.
