Carex bicknellii #1 (Prairie Sedge)

Prairie Sedge is a versatile, clumping perennial that grows well in dry upland prairies as well as in moist, open woodlands. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and can form colonies in favorable conditions with its short, spreading rhizomes. It offers a fine texture to the landscape that is topped with oval flower clusters that can reach 3′, far above its basal foliage. The seed heads turn to a copper brown color and are relatively short-lived, as sparrows, buntings and juncos feast on the seeds.

Sources:
Missouri Botanical Garden
Illinois Wildflowers
USDA Plants Database

Photo Credit:
Integrated Landscape: Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons