Carex glacialis Mack., Neufunde einer arktischen Segge in der Schweiz und Italien

Abstract

Carex glacialis Mack., new discoveries of an arctic sedge in Switzerland and Italy: For the first time, we report locations of the predominantly circumboreal Carex glacialis Mack. (Glacier Sedge, Gletscher-Segge, Carice glaciale, Laîche des glaciers) in Switzerland and Italy. The new locations were found resulting from a specific search in the field between 2016 and 2019. Until now, this species was known from only a single population in the French Alps, discovered in 2004. Our research allowed the confirmation of two hypotheses based on which our search effort was made, that (1) Carex glacialis, an inconspicuous species rather unknown by alpine botanists, must be indigenous to the Alps and (2) this species has most certainly a much wider distribution in the Alps. As a result of our search, this arctic-alpine species is now known to be more widespread in the Alps than previously thought and we regard it as highly likely that even more populations do exist in the Alps (especially in France, Switzerland and Italy). Further extensive search is needed and encouraged in the Alps as well as in more northern and eastern regions, to determine its origin and migration route into the Alps, as well as its possible rarity and its IUCN threat category (especially regarding the potential threats it may face regarding climate change or more direct human impact such as tourism or other land use). Hopefully, this article will be useful to new research efforts, including molecular studies, involving this fascinating arctic-alpine species.