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Useful Temperate Plants

Carex brevicollis

DC.

Cyperaceae

+ Synonyms

Carex rhynchocarpa Heuff.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Carex brevicollis is a densely clump-forming plant with long rhizomes. It forms clumps of grass-lik leaves around 30 - 45cm tall, spreading at the roots to form colonies[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
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.
].
The plant is cultivated in Moldova for the medicinal compunds contained in its leaves[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Known Hazards

In some localities in Transcaucasia this species is called 'rabid grass' and is considered to be toxic to grazing animals[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
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.
].
The plant contains the alkaloids brevicolline and brevicarine. Brevicolline is known to be oxytocic and can induce abortions[
1879
Title
Phenological Changes in the Concentration of Alkaloids of Carex brevicollis in an Alpine Rangeland
Publication
J Chem Ecol (2010) 36;1244-1254
Author
Busqué J. et al
Website
http://10.1007/s10886-010-9865-4
Publisher
 
Year
2010
ISBN
 
Description
 
]..

Botanical References

74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
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.

Range

Southern and eastern Europe - France and Spain, then Ukraine and Slovakia to the Balkans, east to the Caucasus and Turkey

Habitat

Open forests, coppices, and mountain slopes[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
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.
]. Calcareous mountain grasslands[
1879
Title
Phenological Changes in the Concentration of Alkaloids of Carex brevicollis in an Alpine Rangeland
Publication
J Chem Ecol (2010) 36;1244-1254
Author
Busqué J. et al
Website
http://10.1007/s10886-010-9865-4
Publisher
 
Year
2010
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *
HabitPerennial
Height0.40 m
PollinatorsWind
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but the young shoots and tender leaf bases of almost all species in this genus have a sweet flavour[
212
Title
A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
Publication
 
Author
Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R.
Publisher
The Riverside Press
Year
1963
ISBN
63-7093
Description
Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.
]. They furnish a tasty nibble and make an excellent emergency food in the wild since they are widely available[
212
Title
A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
Publication
 
Author
Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R.
Publisher
The Riverside Press
Year
1963
ISBN
63-7093
Description
Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.
].

Medicinal

The plant contains the beta-carboline alkaloids brevicolline and brevicarine. Brevicolline has been shown to have an oxytocic activity and can induce abortions[
1879
Title
Phenological Changes in the Concentration of Alkaloids of Carex brevicollis in an Alpine Rangeland
Publication
J Chem Ecol (2010) 36;1244-1254
Author
Busqué J. et al
Website
http://10.1007/s10886-010-9865-4
Publisher
 
Year
2010
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Other Uses

The leaves of most species in this genus can be used to make a soft, insulated bedding for sleeping on when camping etc[
212
Title
A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
Publication
 
Author
Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R.
Publisher
The Riverside Press
Year
1963
ISBN
63-7093
Description
Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses.
].

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[
138
Title
Growing from Seed. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Bird. R. (Editor)
Publisher
Thompson and Morgan.
Year
1989
ISBN
-
Description
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
]. 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[
277
Title
Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet
Publisher
United States Department of Agriculture
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An online database with an excellent collection of fact sheets about native N. American plants.
].
Division in spring[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. 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. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Carex+brevicollis>

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