Eleocharis geniculata

Bent spikerush

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: annual · Native

Bent spikerush is a California native annual found in southern California coastal, Peninsular Ranges, San Bernardo Mountains, and Desert regions in wet, often brackish places at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from spring to winter, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers in compact spikes less than 1 centimeter long. Growing in dense tufts with slender, cylindric stems 5 to 45 centimeters tall, it forms delicate clumps in wet habitats. Its leaves are characterized by firm, persistent sheaths with acute tips, and the plant produces tiny black fruits with 4 to 8 vestigial reddish-brown perianth bristles. This diminutive spikerush is distinguished by its thin stems and ability to thrive in brackish wetland environments.

Habitat: Uncommon, very local in California. Wet, often brackish places

Bloom period: Spring-winter

Elevation: < 1500 m

Bioregions: SCo/PR, SnBr, DSon

California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.