Eleocharis engelmannii
Engelmann's spikerush
(c) Matthew Sirotkin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis engelmannii (Engelmann's spikerush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family.
Engelmann's spikerush is a California native annual found in wetland and aquatic habitats at low elevations. Flowering from spring to summer, this delicate spikerush produces minute flowers in slender cylindrical spikes 5 to 10 millimeters long. Growing in dense tufts with thin stems 2 to 40 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters without underground rhizomes. Its leaf sheaths are firm and persistent, with a subtle tooth-like projection at the tip less than 0.3 millimeters long. The tiny fruit is smooth, wide-truncate, and features a small flat tubercle that covers nearly one-quarter of its surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated - no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Riverside, Nevada, Butte, Plumas, Colusa, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Trinity, Fresno, Shasta, Placer, Sutter, Madera, Tuolumne, Lake, Yuba, Marin, Stanislaus, Lassen, Glenn, Tehama, Sierra, Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Yolo, Napa
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 engelmannii native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis engelmannii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Eleocharis engelmannii grow?
Eleocharis engelmannii occurs in Riverside, Nevada, Butte, Plumas, Colusa, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Trinity and other counties.
What plant family does Eleocharis engelmannii belong to?
Eleocharis engelmannii is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eleocharis engelmannii var. detonsa — Engelmann's spikerush
- Eleocharis engelmannii var. engelmannii — Engelmann's spikerush
- Eleocharis flavescens var. flavescens — Yellow spikerush
- Eleocharis geniculata — Bent spikerush
- Eleocharis macrostachya — Common spikerush
- Eleocharis montevidensis — Montevideo spike rush
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.