Carex montana - Soft-leaved Sedge
A Nationally Scarce sedge that is extremely rare in Cornwall,
Carex montana has only ever been found here at four sites. A plant of light-shaded woodland and grassy areas on base-rich mature soils, it was first recorded in Hustyn Wood, near Wadebridge in 1878 but has not been seen since and R.W.David considered the record as ' suspicious' (B.S.B.I. News, 10, p.17). In 1936 J.E.Lousley found the sedge on a cliff-top at Carbis Bay near St. Ives (SW53J) and it was still present here in 1984 (B.M.Sturdy). Again on the north coast, a further population was found between Cross Coombe and Pen a Grader, this time on Maritime Heath (SW75G, 1975, L.J.Margetts). It was still here in 1988 (R.J.Murphy). The fourth record was made on the Lizard, in a type of Erica vagans heath south of Croft Pascoe Plantation (SW72E/SW72J, A.J.Byfield). At present it is still plentiful at this site (1993, P.A.Gainey).
Source:
French, C.N., Murphy, R.J. & Atkinson, M. 1999. Flora of Cornwall. Wheal Seton Press, Camborne.