Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum
Three-way sedge
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum (Three-way sedge) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by Eastern North American genus reaching its western range limit in California mountain wetlands.
Three-way sedge is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada in lake, pond, and stream margins, bogs, and wet meadows at elevations of 700 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from June to October, this sedge produces small green to brown flowers in spikes 6 to 30 centimeters long, with 3 to 10 flattened spikelets. Growing with long rhizomes and cylindric, hollow stems up to one meter tall, it forms dense clumps in wet environments. Its distinctive three-ranked leaves are flat, 0 to 15 centimeters long and 3 to 8 millimeters wide, with proximal leaves lacking blades. The fruit is a small yellow linear-ellipsoid structure 2 to 4 millimeters long, accompanied by 6 to 9 reflexed perianth bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Eastern North American genus reaching its western range limit in California mountain wetlands
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Lake, pond stream margins, bogs, wet meadows, often emergent
Elevation: 700-2400 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, eastern North America
Bloom period
Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Schoenus: Dulichium has flowers along stem at leaf joints; Schoenus has compact heads at stem tip.; vs Cyperus: Dulichium has ladder-like leaves up the stem; Cyperus has leaves at base with umbrella cluster at top.; vs Kyllinga: Dulichium has flowers emerging from leaf joints along stem; Kyllinga has spherical heads at stem tip.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum native to California?
Yes. Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum bloom?
Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum blooms Jun-Oct.
What plant family does Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum belong to?
Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Dulichium.
What habitat does Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum grow in?
Dulichium arundinaceum var. arundinaceum grows in Uncommon. Lake, pond stream margins, bogs, wet meadows, often emergent.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.