Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis
Needle spike rush
Photo: parent species Eleocharis acicularis · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis (Needle spike rush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by 27 co-occurring species; key features are stem angles and fruit proportions.
Needle spike rush is a California native perennial found in the Central California Floristic Province and North Coast Ranges in fresh wet soils and deeply submersed habitats at elevations up to 3,300 meters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this plant produces small white to green flowers clustered in delicate spikes. Growing with slender stems up to 60 centimeters tall, often with three to four distinct angles, it forms dense clusters in wet environments. Its narrow, grass-like leaves are minimal, with the stem serving as the primary photosynthetic structure. The small fruits are distinctively elongated, measuring twice as long as they are wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 co-occurring species; key features are stem angles and fruit proportions
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Fresh wet soil to deeply submersed
Elevation: < 3300 m
California counties: Butte, Amador, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Alpine, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Tulare, Tuolumne, Madera, Sacramento, Lassen, Yuba, Napa, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Sierra, Placer, Yolo, Monterey
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern North America, South America (Ecuador), Eurasia
Bloom period
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis blooms Late spring-summer.
How to tell it apart
vs Carex: Eleocharis has single spikelet with no bracts below, Carex has leafy bracts and multiple spikes.; vs Isolepis: Eleocharis has no bracts below spikelet, Isolepis has conspicuous leaf-like bracts extending beyond flowers.; vs Schoenoplectus: Eleocharis has single terminal spikelet, Schoenoplectus has multiple spikelets in clusters.; vs Juncus: Eleocharis spikelets are flattened oval, Juncus flowers are round with visible petals in clusters.; vs Equisetum: Eleocharis has grass-like stems with flower spikelets, Equisetum has jointed hollow stems with cone-like structures.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis bloom?
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis blooms Late spring-summer.
Where in California does Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis grow?
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis occurs in Butte, Amador, San Luis Obispo, Riverside, Alpine, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of < 3300 m.
What plant family does Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis belong to?
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
What habitat does Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis grow in?
Eleocharis acicularis var. acicularis grows in Common. Fresh wet soil to deeply submersed.
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.