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Cyperaceae FAMILY

Carex brevicollis

Carex brevicollis

Edibility
1/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

In some localities in Transcaucasia this species is called 'rabid grass' and is considered to be toxic to grazing animals[1]. The plant contains the alkaloids brevicolline and brevicarine. Brevicolline is known to be oxytocic and can induce abortions[2]..

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Not known

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in the spring in a moist soil in light shade. If seed is in short supply it can be sown in a cold frame and be planted out in the summer. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 15°c[3]. Plants started from seed tend to stay diminutive for over a year, with plant leaves remaining stunted and fragile for a considerable period of time[4]. Division in spring[5]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Carex+brevicollis>

Pollinators

Wind

References

  1. [1]Flora of the USSR. — Komarov. V. L. · Israel Program for Scientific Translation · 1968 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN - ↩︎An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  2. [2]Phenological Changes in the Concentration of Alkaloids of Carex brevicollis in an Alpine Rangeland — Busqué J. et al · 2010 · http://10.1007/s10886-010-9865-4 ↩︎
  3. [3]Growing from Seed. Volume 3. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1989 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
  4. [4]Plants Database — United States Department of Agriculture · http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet ↩︎An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
  5. [5]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  6. [6]Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants — http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 ↩︎Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
  7. [7]A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers — Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. · The Riverside Press · 1963 · ISBN 63-7093 ↩︎Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.