Eleocharis macrostachya
Common spikerush
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis macrostachya (Common spikerush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by 27 co-occurring species; large size and robust nature.
Common spikerush is a native perennial found in California's wetland regions, thriving in fresh to brackish habitats at elevations from 10 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces small spikelets 5 to 40 millimeters long with numerous compact flower bracts. Growing with cylindrical stems 20 to 100 centimeters tall and spreading via tough rhizomes up to 2 millimeters in diameter, it forms dense clusters in wet environments. Its leaf sheaths are firm and persistent, with truncate to obtuse tips that sometimes feature a tiny tooth-like projection less than 1 millimeter long. The fruit is small, about 1.1 to 1.9 millimeters long, with smooth or finely roughened surfaces and typically lacking perianth bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 co-occurring species; large size and robust nature are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Fresh to brackish wetland
Elevation: 10-2300 m
California counties: Lassen, Ventura, Butte, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Mono, Fresno, Sacramento, Orange, Alpine, Yuba, Kern, Contra Costa, Tulare, Stanislaus, Marin, San Mateo, Siskiyou, Santa Barbara, Mariposa, Humboldt, Lake, Santa Cruz, Plumas, Tehama, Mendocino, Napa, Monterey, Sonoma, Modoc, Tuolumne, Solano, Shasta, Del Norte, San Joaquin, San Francisco, Merced, Colusa, Santa Clara, Placer, Amador, Madera, Sutter, El Dorado, Nevada, Calaveras, Sierra, Inyo, Alameda, Trinity, Glenn, Kings, Yolo
Outside California: to Alaska, northeastern Canada, central United States, Mexico, South America
Bloom period
Eleocharis macrostachya 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 macrostachya native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis macrostachya is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eleocharis macrostachya bloom?
Eleocharis macrostachya blooms Spring-summer.
Where in California does Eleocharis macrostachya grow?
Eleocharis macrostachya occurs in Lassen, Ventura, Butte, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of 10-2300 m.
What plant family does Eleocharis macrostachya belong to?
Eleocharis macrostachya is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
What habitat does Eleocharis macrostachya grow in?
Eleocharis macrostachya grows in Common. Fresh to brackish wetland.
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.