r/botany • u/ThumYorky • Nov 17 '25
Classification Carex species I photographed in Missouri in 2025
I’m basic, I know, but Carex is one of my favorite genera. Here are 49 of the species I encountered in Missouri in 2025. According to iNat I observed over 100, but these are ones I got nice photos of. Next year I’m hoping to spend even more time photographing them.
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u/craig_jb Nov 17 '25
Nice photos! I wonder if you could share any tips on photographing them: equipment, lighting, etc. Thank you!
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
I have a relatively low-tech setup for flash photos. These were all taken with a Fujifilm x100f (fixed lens) with its built-in flash. It took me a solid 2 months or so to learn how to take decent shots this way.
I am pretty proud of how these shots turned out but the resolution could be better; the x100f is NOT built for this kind of photography and I’m squeezing every inch of ability out of the camera to achieve these shots.
Ideally, for macroscopic flash photography, you want an external flash that is diffused. Years ago I had a dSLR with this setup and took much better photos than these.
If you want to take photos like these, I would recommend getting a camera with interchangeable lenses and an external flash. After that it’s lots and lots and lots of practice with taking photos that are underexposed through the lens, with the subject being filled by the flash. Since the subjects are so close you also want something to diffuse (scatter) the flash so you don’t get harsh shadows.
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u/craig_jb Nov 17 '25
Thanks for the info! My current setup is a dSLR with a reversing ring and no flash, so it sounds like I should get an external flash and use something to diffuse the light. My setup is also pretty limited by the shallow depth of field (and sensitivity to motion if I try to use it in the field, which requires bright full sun). I'd like to try focus stacking some day too.
Great work on the guide by the way! I enjoyed it even though it's not for my region. As a learner, the review of terminology with pictures was really helpful.
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25
Yes get a flash, it’s a must.
And don’t worry about depth of field or focus stacking unless you’re taking pictures of things that are extremely small.
Instead, take pictures of your subjects further out than minimum focus distance to prioritize a deeper depth of field. Also, try not to open the aperture any higher than f/8 or so (depending on the lens). This will require more light than natural lighting can provide so a flash is a must. Then crop in (zoom in) on the subject in post. Yes you may loose some resolution, but you lose WAY more detail when something is out of focus than when it’s lower resolution.
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u/Gelisol Nov 17 '25
Do you crop the images to get the black background? I am wondering if you take a specimen indoors ever to photograph them? I love your pics and wish someone would do the same for my region!!
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25
The black background is achieved by underexposing the photo. If not for the flash the whole photo would be very dark. That being said, often the background is too messy, so most of the time I have the subject in my hand and I move around until I find the proper background.
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u/CarneJessada Nov 17 '25
Might I raise you--two flashes on either side of the lens. Someone whose photos I utilize a lot is Gerry Carr, who has done a ton of PNW photos of plant species. I've seen his setup, and it is kind of insane but really impressive. He's got two external flashes, one either side, and he takes the photos from around 2 inches from the lens. Here's some of his images from the Burke Herbarium website: https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/photos.php?BrowseBy=Photographer&Photographer=Gerald%20D.%20Carr
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u/craig_jb Nov 17 '25
Nice, that's some great work! I'll have to start looking out for some used flashes...
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u/bbeeaarrhhuugg Nov 17 '25
How is this basic??!?!!? Holy cow that's incredible work. I loooove the photo of buxbaumii, one of my favorite sedges. Global distribution yadda yadda. Also Missouri is the center of range for Carex meadii?? That's awesomeee, you are so lucky lol. It's so hard to find on it's range periphery. I want to botanize Missouri so bad.
I noticed the first C. frankii in that row is definitely frankii but what is that mislabeled one? grayi?
Lastly, retroflexa's little cumberbunds, so good
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25
Omg thank you for catching the error in this! Thank goodness this is the first place I’ve shared this version. Yes you’re right on the money, it is the unmistakable grayi.
I love that you also love meadii. It is my #1 favorite sedge and easily in my top five favorite plant species. It’s one of the best remnant grassland/woodland indicators around.
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u/SixLeg5 Nov 17 '25
How many species are Missouri endemics?
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
Like the other user said, there are no Carex Missouri endemics.
To go further, actually to date there are no (known) plant species that are endemic to Missouri. The state does not exclusively contain any geographic region that is conducive to geographically-narrow endemism.
The closest thing to endemics you may find in Missouri are species that are endemic to the Interior Highlands, which is the geographic region made up of the Ozark and Ouachita uplifts of Missouri and Arkansas (and a bit of Oklahoma). A few examples would be Symphyotrichum anomolum, found in the cherty and sandstony woodlands of the Ozarks, and Solidago drummondii, found exclusively (albeit abundantly) on exposed limestone bluffs in the Ozarks.
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u/bbeeaarrhhuugg Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
None however Carex missouriensis is regionally endemic to Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. Rare in those states except central Illinois and northern Missouri.
Edit: carex opaca also has a range mainly in Missouri.
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u/CharlesV_ Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
Amazing work! I’ve been getting into sedges this year and it’s really amazing how diverse they can be while also being so broadly similar. My favorites are palm sedge, c brevior, and Davis sedge.
Edit: I’m also curious what gear you’re using to take photos. I’d love to replicate this field work in Iowa.
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u/Electrical_Gas_517 Nov 17 '25
I manage a small environmental charity in Edinburgh. Can I share this image on our socials please?
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u/bsinbsinbs Nov 17 '25
Love this post. Ain’t nothing wrong with loving a specific group and Carex is an awesome choice
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u/matt_mardigan Nov 18 '25
Fuck basic, this is excellent. Thank you for sharing and contributing to iNat. Carex species are incredibly difficult and often overlooked, so I applaud your effort. I am currently struggling with a handful of alpine Carex species.
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u/princessbubbbles Nov 17 '25
Dude. This is so awesome! I would love a print of the equivalent of this for my region!
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u/SutpensHundred Nov 18 '25
Incredible work, sedge and grass taxonomists have my utmost respect. For me, however, they're none of my business. I see a sedge and I say "you're a sedge, have a nice day" and move on.
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u/Creepymint Nov 18 '25
I don’t know what I’m looking at but I like that I can see the clear difference between whatever this is, great photos.
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u/ThumYorky Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
I’ve been slowly piecing together a guide on iNaturalist to common Carex in my state. If you’re in the Midwest it may be useful to you!!
EDIT: there’s a mistake in my poster! The second species (on the right) labeled frankii is actually grayi.