Bicknell's sedge, Carex bicknellii

Sedges are blooming! Minimalism to the max! No petals, just the basic necessary parts. To heck with pollinators. Those bees aren't that dependable now anyway. Let the wind do the job, and now is the time. No tall leafy plants around to interfere. For us, we have to appreciate the work they do in our wetlands. And if you get down close, there is real beauty to be seen. But be careful. Michigan Flora notes that Dr. Ithamar Crawe was the first to discover this plant, right here in Michigan around 1840. Dr. Crawe "died in the line of duty" when he drowned while collecting specimens at a lake in New York. Bicknell's grows in prairies and other somewhat dry openings in AR, CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, ME(X), MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY(T), OH(T), PA(E), RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, WI, MB, and ON. Lenawee Co MI, 4/30/11. Sedge family, Cyperaceae.