Field Guide to the Sedges of the Pacific Northwest

Field Guide to the Sedges of the Pacific Northwest is an illustrated guide to all 169 species, subspecies, and varieties in the genus Carex that grow in the wild in Oregon and Washington. Most of these species are found throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. This updated second edition includes eight additional species documented in the region since the guide was first published, along with an improved identification key, updated nomenclature and taxonomy, revised range maps, and improved illustrations.

Sedges can be difficult to identify, with differences between species based on small, technical characters. This comprehensive guide contains identification keys, descriptions, more than 650 color photographs, and distribution maps for each species, providing users with helpful tools and tips for identifying the plants in this challenging group. Information about sedge ecology, habitat, management and restoration, ethnobotanical uses, and propagation enhances the guide’s utility.


Field Guide to the Sedges of the Pacific Northwest provides an invaluable resource for botanists, land managers, restoration ecologists, and plant enthusiasts. And, as the genus Carex becomes increasingly important amongst landscapers, nurseries, and gardeners, the guide will serve as a handy tool for choosing Northwest natives for the garden.

The Carex Working Group is made up of Oregon botanists fascinated by sedges, grasses, willows, and other difficult-to-identify plant groups. In addition to writing about and photographing sedges, CWG completes botanical inventories, rare plant surveys, and natural resource planning projects; teaches plant identification workshops; and conducts taxonomic research on plants of the western United States.