Eleocharis bella
Beautiful spikerush
(c) Dean Wm. Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis bella (Beautiful spikerush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by 27 co-occurring species; tiny size, recurved bracts, and pale crossbarred fruits.
Beautiful spikerush is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, southern Coast Ranges, southwestern California, and Great Basin in fresh wet bare soil habitats at elevations up to 2,300 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this delicate plant produces small, barely noticeable flowers in slender spikes. Growing in tiny tufts or small mats with extremely thin stems just 1 to 7 centimeters tall, it forms weak rhizomes less than 0.3 millimeters in diameter. Its leaf sheaths are particularly fragile, often disintegrating and ending in acute tips. The tiny fruit is white or pale, featuring 6 to 10 longitudinal ridges with 20 to 30 crossbars, creating a subtle textural complexity.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 co-occurring species; tiny size, recurved bracts, and pale crossbarred fruits are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Fresh wet bare soil
Elevation: < 2300 m
California counties: Plumas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Butte, San Diego, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Mono, Alpine, Humboldt, Sacramento, Tehama, Sierra, Amador, Madera, Mendocino, Yuba, Lassen, Lake, Ventura, Napa, Inyo
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, New Mexico, Mexico (Chihuahua)
Bloom period
Eleocharis bella blooms 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 bella native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis bella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eleocharis bella bloom?
Eleocharis bella blooms Spring-summer.
Where in California does Eleocharis bella grow?
Eleocharis bella occurs in Plumas, Riverside, San Bernardino, Butte, San Diego, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 2300 m.
What plant family does Eleocharis bella belong to?
Eleocharis bella is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
What habitat does Eleocharis bella grow in?
Eleocharis bella grows in Common. Fresh wet bare soil.
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.