Family: sedges (Cyperaceae)
Flowering time: May–June
Size: 5–30 cm
Habitat: marshy soils, near springs, low bogs
Bolšji šaš (Carex pulicaris) grows in small, loose tufts. Its bristly leaves are stiff, the three-angled stem bears a single inflorescence about 2 cm long. It has female flowers at the bottom and male flowers at the top. The female flowers and later the fruits (in the photograph) protrude somewhat downward relative to the stem, while the male part of the inflorescence is upright. The fruits of sedges are nuts, enclosed by a special envelope called a purse, and in this species it is 5 mm long. Bolšji šaš has two grooves, which can often be seen through a magnifying glass even on the already ripe purses. It is a fairly rare species that grows on marshy soils developed on a calcareous substrate, in the interior of Slovenia and in the Gorenjska region.
Bolšji šaš is endangered in Slovenia, as it lives on habitats sensitive to human disturbance, and therefore, as a vulnerable species (V), it is listed on the Red List.
