Carex subfusca
Rusty or pale broomsedge, Rusty Or Pale Broomsedge
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Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Carex subfusca (Rusty or pale broomsedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by fine-textured open inflorescence.
Rusty or pale broomsedge is a native perennial sedge found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California high country, northern Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, southern coastal ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Modoc Plateau, White and Inyo Mountains, and desert mountains in seasonally wet meadows, creeks, and seeps at elevations of 700 to 3,800 meters. Its pale green to brown inflorescences appear fine-textured and range from 11 to 30 millimeters long, with spikelets that are distinctly round or wedge-shaped at the base. Growing with slender stems, this sedge produces narrow leaf blades 1.2 to 3.7 millimeters wide. Its leaves and flower bracts display subtle color variations, with pistillate flower bracts typically white or pale brown with a green center. The fruits are small, approximately 1 to 1.6 millimeters long, with pale green to light brown perigynia that have delicate green or gold upper margins.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 130 sympatric species; fine-textured open inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Seasonally wet meadows, creeks, seeps
Elevation: (75)700-3800 m
California counties: Mendocino, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Butte, Glenn, Lake, Monterey, Placer, Plumas, San Diego, Sonoma, Tuolumne, Trinity, Alpine, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Tulare, Inyo, Santa Barbara, Kern, Amador, Napa, Humboldt, Colusa, Madera, Calaveras, Mariposa, Marin, Santa Cruz, Yuba, Orange, San Mateo, Santa Clara
Outside California: Oregon, Arizona
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 subfusca native to California?
Yes. Carex subfusca is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Carex subfusca grow?
Carex subfusca occurs in Mendocino, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, Butte, Glenn, Lake and other counties, at elevations of (75)700-3800 m.
What plant family does Carex subfusca belong to?
Carex subfusca is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Carex.
What habitat does Carex subfusca grow in?
Carex subfusca grows in Common. Seasonally wet meadows, creeks, seeps.
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.