Greater Pond-sedge - Carex riparia
Tall, tussock forming plant reaching 100 to 150 cm in height. Spreading by strong rhizomes. Leaves quite erect and fairly broad (6 to 15 mm wide). Male spikelets 3 to 6 being 2 to 6 cm long, brown. Female spikelets are 3 to 10 cm by 10 to 12 mm wide.
Carex acutiformis and other aquatic sedges
Ponds, marshy areas, wet ditches and stream sides.
Fruiting June to September.
Perennial.
Common in most of Britain, scarcer in Scotland and absent in the north of that country.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 176 of the 617 tetrads.
Graham Calow
Wykin Canal Towpath
15 May 2015
specimen examined
HAPeacock
River Soar - St Marys Mill
14 June 2012
Graham Calow
Off Wood Road, near Nailstone
12 May 2016
broad and obtuse ligule Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 5.5.2008),.JPG)
Graham Calow
Wash Pit, Sapcote
05 May 2008
flowering
David Nicholls
Evington Park
25 May 2012
Melinda Bell
Snarestone,Ashby Canal
08 June 2021
David Nicholls
Desford
25 May 2015 Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 15.6.2008),.JPG)
Graham Calow
Wash Pit, Sapcote
05 May 2008
fruits
David Nicholls
Desford
25 May 2015
Melinda Bell
Snarestone,Ashby Canal
08 June 2021
ligule on 12 mm width leaf
Graham Calow
Sapcote, Near The Washpit
09 April 2020
 Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 5.5.2008),.JPG)
 Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 15.6.2008),.JPG)
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Greater Pond-sedge, Great Pond-Sedge
- Species group:
- flowering plant
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Poales
- Family:
- Cyperaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 60
- First record:
- 21/06/2001 (Jane McPhail;John Kramer)
- Last record:
- 16/05/2025 (Calow, Graham)
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
Saharima Roenisch
Evington Park
12 April 2017
David Nicholls
The Brand, Woodhouse
15 June 2013
David Nicholls
Desford
25 May 2015
HAPeacock
St Mary's Mill
25 May 2012 Old Fosse Sapcote SP 5013 9260 (taken 1.5.2006).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
01 May 2006
young flower spike
HAPeacock
River Soar - St Mary's Mill
25 May 2012
David Nicholls
The Brand, Woodhouse
15 June 2013
Ron.stevens
CromfordnWay Pond
24 April 2013 Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 5.5.2008).JPG)
Graham Calow
Wash Pit, Sapcote
05 May 2008
flowering
Graham Calow
Off Wood Road, near Nailstone
12 May 2016
David Nicholls
Lea Meadows NR
15 May 2023
 Old Fosse Sapcote SP 5013 9260 (taken 1.5.2006).JPG)
 Near the 'Wash Pit' Sapcote SP 4850 9366 (taken 5.5.2008).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.