Hammer sedge vs Prickly Sedge

Carex hirta compared with Carex spicata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hammer sedge	Prickly Sedge
Kingdom same	Plantae (plantas)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order same	Poales (Grasses)	Poales (Grasses)
Family same	Cyperaceae	Cyperaceae
Genus same	Carex	Carex
Species	Carex hirta	Carex spicata

Evolutionary Relationship

Hammer sedge and Prickly Sedge share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Carex.

Conservation Status

Hammer sedge

LC — Least Concern

Prickly Sedge

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hammer sedge	Prickly Sedge
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Hammer sedge

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Prickly Sedge

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 8 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States