Eleocharis bolanderi
Bolander's spikerush
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis bolanderi (Bolander's spikerush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by 19 co-occurring species; round colony growth form and straw-colored wrinkled fruits.
Bolander's spikerush is a native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada and Modoc Plateau bioregions in fresh wet meadows, fens, springs, and stream margins at elevations of 410 to 1,580 meters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this plant produces small spikes with numerous inconspicuous flowers. Growing in rounded colonies with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms dense clusters emerging from a hidden rhizome-like caudex. Its leaf sheaths are firm and persistent, with obtuse tips, and the stems are nearly cylindrical and quite narrow at just 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters in diameter. The tiny fruit is straw-colored, finely wrinkled, and bears vestigial perianth bristles that are less than half the fruit's length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 co-occurring species; round colony growth form and straw-colored wrinkled fruits are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon, local. Fresh wet meadows, fens, springs, stream margins
Elevation: 410-1580 m
California counties: Madera, Lassen, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Modoc, Butte, San Bernardino, Yuba, Colusa, Amador, Sierra, Trinity, Shasta
Outside California: to Oregon, Colorado
Bloom period
Eleocharis bolanderi 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 bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eleocharis bolanderi bloom?
Eleocharis bolanderi blooms Late spring-summer.
Where in California does Eleocharis bolanderi grow?
Eleocharis bolanderi occurs in Madera, Lassen, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 410-1580 m.
What plant family does Eleocharis bolanderi belong to?
Eleocharis bolanderi is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
What habitat does Eleocharis bolanderi grow in?
Eleocharis bolanderi grows in Uncommon, local. Fresh wet meadows, fens, springs, stream margins.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eleocharis coloradoensis — Dwarf spikerush
- Eleocharis decumbens — Decumbent spikerush
- Eleocharis engelmannii — Engelmann's spikerush
- Eleocharis engelmannii var. detonsa — Engelmann's spikerush
- Eleocharis engelmannii var. engelmannii — Engelmann's spikerush
- Eleocharis flavescens var. flavescens — Yellow spikerush
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.