Carex lutea is a perennial member of the sedge family with yellowish green, grass-like leaves. Fertile stems may reach three feet or more and produce many flowers. It is distinguished from other Carex species that occur in the same habitat by its yellowish color and by its height and slenderness. Consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service come into play for private and other landowners only when federal funding or permits are required for activities that may affect listed species. The Service is initiating work with North Carolina's Natural Heritage Program and Plant Conservation Program, the North Carolina chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and landowners to develop protection and management plans for all sites where the golden sedge can be found.
Native plants are important for their ecological, economic, and aesthetic values.
Plants play an important role in the development of crops that resist disease, insects, and drought. At least 25 percent of prescription drugs contain ingredients derived from plant compounds, including those that provide treatments for cancer, juvenile leukemia, heart disease, and malaria and medicines to assist in organ transplants. Plants are also being used to develop natural pesticides. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts.