Pendulous Sedge - Carex pendula
A large plant with very short rhizomes. Its leaves and shoots form large tufts or tussocks up to 70 cm across and stems reach 60 to 180 cm in height. Inflorescence has 1 or 2 male spikelets up to 10 cm long at the tip, and 4 or 5 female spikelets spread out lower down (up to 16 cm long). They are cylindrical and pendulous like catkins.
Woodland.
June and July.
Perennial.
Common and widespread, more so in the south.
Has become increasingly common in VC55.
David Nicholls
Burbage Common and Woods
26 April 2014 Freeholt Wood Sapcote SP 4614 9398 (taken 26.4.2007).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
26 April 2007
Jane Hollingworth
Memorial Garden Quorn
12 May 2020
Graham Calow
Cambridge Road, Cosby
15 May 2016
David Gould
Spearwort Fields
27 June 2015
Graham Calow
Near High Cross
09 June 2016
Graham Calow
Cambridge Road, Cosby
15 May 2016
Graham Calow
Broughton Astley Brook
04 July 2013
 Freeholt Wood Sapcote SP 4614 9398 (taken 26.4.2007).JPG)
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
Enter a town or village to see local records
MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020
UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Pendulus Sedge, Pendulous Sedge
- Species group:
- flowering plant
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Poales
- Family:
- Cyperaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 246
- First record:
- 01/07/1998 (John Mousley)
- Last record:
- 15/10/2025 (Pochin, Christine)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.
Latest images
Latest records
Graham Calow
Burbage Common and Woods
24 April 2014
Graham Calow
B4114 Coventry Road, Sapcote
30 May 2017
David Nicholls
Cloud Wood
24 June 2011 Freeholt Wood Sapcote SP 4614 9398 (taken 30.5.2007)..JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
30 May 2007
Graham Calow
Broughton Astley
24 June 2011
David Nicholls
Narborough Bog
02 May 2011
David Nicholls
Swithland Wood
25 August 2011
HAPeacock
Gilroes Spinney
05 July 2012
HAPeacock
Gilroes Spinney
05 July 2012
HAPeacock
Gilroes Spinney
05 July 2012
David Nicholls
Broughton Astley
04 July 2013
Graham Calow
Cambridge Road, Cosby
15 May 2016
AJ Cann
Cloud Wood
20 April 2016
Barbara Cooper
Jubilee Wood
21 May 2015
Graham Calow
Jubilee Walk, Leire
16 September 2014
 Freeholt Wood Sapcote SP 4614 9398 (taken 30.5.2007)..JPG)
Farysia thuemenii
The smut fungus Farysia thuemenii infects some, but not all, female flowers of Greater Pond-sedge and Pendulous sedge, within the inflorescence, producing masses of olivaceous brown spores and long, pale, straw-coloured elaters conspicuously projecting from the female spikes. Spores are 6-11 µm x 4-6 µm and are finely verruculose.
Puccinia caricina
Sedges (Carex species) are the primary hosts, bearing uredinia and telia. The alternate host is a Ribes.
This is a complex of species without a clear consensus; some authors describe different species depending on the species of Carex affected, and Puccinia caricina should be regarded as sensu lato.