Thick-headed Sedge: Carex pachystachya (Synonyms: Carex festiva var. gracilis, Carex festiva var. pachystachya, Carex macloviana ssp. pachystachya, Carex macloviana var. pachystachya, Carex pachystachya var. gracilis, Carex pachystachya var. monds-coulteri)

The photo above shows the dense, head-like inflorescence of thick-headed sedge. Note the long bract subtending the lowest spike on this individual. The length of the subtending bract seems to be variable in this species from my few observations, with most heads having the bract be short to less than the lenght of the head. Photographed along Morrison Creek at the Crofton Ridge Trailhead on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams........August 22, 2008.

The photo above shows the dense, head-like inflorescence of thick-headed sedge.The individual spikes that make up the head can be distinguished from this photo. Photographed along Morrison Creek at the Crofton Ridge Trailhead on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams..........August 22, 2008.

These 2 photos show close-ups of the perigynia and their subtending scales of thick-headed sedge. Photographed along Morrison Creek at the Crofton Ridge Trailhead on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams..........August 22, 2008. Note the 2 stigmas on the perigynia furthest to the left in the photo at left. Note from both photos that the margins are winged and that one surface is flattened while the opposite side is rounded due to the prescence of the achene.

The photo above shows an additional view of the inflorescence of thick-head sedge as seen in meadows along Crofton Creek just downstream of the crossing of the Crofton Ridge Trail #93 in the Mt. Adams Wilderness...........August 22, 2008. This individual had a subtending bract aout half as long as the head (hidden on the opposite side).

The photo above shows an additional close-up view of the perigynia of thick-head sedge as seen in meadows along Crofton Creek just downstream of the crossing of the Crofton Ridge Trail #93 in the Mt. Adams Wilderness.........August 22, 2008.

The photo above shows thick-headed sedge as photographed along Morrison Creek at the Crofton Ridge Trailhead on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams.........August 22, 2008. Other sedges seen at this location include smoothstem sedge (Carex laeviculmis) and Merten's sedge (Carex mertensii).

The 3 photos above show close-us of the perigynia and inflorescence of thick-headed sedge as photographed in meadows along the Pacific Crest Trail about one-half mile west of its junction with the Stagman Ridge Trail #12.........September 13, 2008. Note the profile of a perigynia in the central photo, where one side is noticeably flattened while the other is rounded.

The 3 photos above show close-us of the perigynia, inflorescence and whole plant of thick-headed sedge as photographed at the Pacific Crest Trail trailhead on Road #521 on the western slopes of Mt. Adams.........September 13, 2008.