Saturday, January 09, 2010

Greater tussock-sedge in snow

On New Year's Day I walked with a friend through the Powdermill Nature Reserve at Catsfield in East Sussex.

There had been a light fall of snow which powdered the wigs of the small army of greater tussock-sedge plants (Carex paniculata) that flourish in one of the swampy areas.20100101 Powdermill Reserve, Catsfield tussock sedge in snow

I used to know many places locally where this splendid plant grew, but most have become over-shaded and the sedge plants have died.

Inside the tussocks is a large compacted rhizome, like a tree fern trunk and I am sure that both in life and in death this must attract a wealth of smaller organisms - fungi and invertebrates. One day I might try to devise a method of finding out what they are.

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