Carex luzulifolia
Little-leaved sedge
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex luzulifolia (Little-leaved sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by wide leaves and large dark spikelets.
Little-leaved sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, near Lassen Peak, and northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in montane meadows at elevations of 1,900 to 3,100 meters. Producing dark purple spikelets 1 to 3 centimeters long, this sedge has distinctive lateral spikelets that are purple to dark brown and often nodding. Growing with dense, clustered stems 40 to 100 centimeters tall, it forms loose tufts with relatively wide leaf blades 5 to 20 millimeters across. Its leaves have inflorescence bracts with an expanded sheath featuring a wide purple band at the top, and pistillate flower bracts that are dark purple with narrow white margins. The fruit is short-stalked with a dark purple perigynia and a 1 to 2 millimeter beak, measuring 1.5 to 2.2 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 109 sympatric species; wide leaves and large dark spikelets are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Montane meadows
Elevation: 1900-3100 m
California counties: Alpine, El Dorado, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Mono, Tehama, Sierra, Tuolumne, Placer, Siskiyou, Trinity, Madera, Mariposa, Fresno
Outside California: to Montana
How to tell it apart
vs Juncus: Carex stems are triangular when rolled; Juncus stems are round and often hollow with partitions inside.; vs Cyperus: Carex has seeds in individual flasks; Cyperus has umbrella-like flower clusters with flattened ribbon-like spikes.; vs Plantago: Carex has triangular stems and brown/green spikelets; Plantago has round flower stalks and white/brown spike flowers.; vs Eleocharis: Carex has leaves along the stem; Eleocharis is nearly leafless with just one spikelet per stem.; vs Schoenoplectus: Carex has leafy stems and flask-enclosed seeds; Schoenoplectus has leafless round stems with exposed seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carex luzulifolia native to California?
Yes. Carex luzulifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex luzulifolia grow?
Carex luzulifolia occurs in Alpine, El Dorado, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Mono, Tehama, Sierra and other counties, at elevations of 1900-3100 m.
What plant family does Carex luzulifolia belong to?
Carex luzulifolia is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex luzulifolia grow in?
Carex luzulifolia grows in Montane meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.