Eleocharis rostellata
Beaked spikerush
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Eleocharis rostellata (Beaked spikerush) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by flat stems with sharp ridges, mat-forming habit, and beaked fruits.
Beaked spikerush is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, southern California, Transverse Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert in mineral-rich fens, springs, hot springs, and coastal marshes at elevations from 50 meters below sea level to 2,400 meters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this plant produces small inconspicuous flowers in dense spikelets 5 to 17 millimeters long. Growing in dense mats with stems 20 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms tough, hidden rhizomes approximately 3 millimeters in diameter. Its leaves have persistent sheaths with obtuse to slightly sharp tips, and stems are nearly flat with up to 8 sharp ridges that often root at the tips. The fruit is distinctively 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long with a characteristic beak-like tip and up to 6 perianth bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; key features are flat stems with sharp ridges, mat-forming habit, and beaked fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Mineral-rich fens, springs, hot springs, coastal marshes
Elevation: -50-2400 m
California counties: Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Butte, Kern, Marin, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Orange, San Diego, Sonoma, Ventura, Riverside, Sierra, Fresno, Santa Clara, Alpine, Santa Barbara, Contra Costa, Nevada, Santa Cruz, Sacramento, Tulare, Sutter, Lake, Mendocino, Tehama, Humboldt, San Francisco, Merced, Trinity
Outside California: to British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Florida, West Indies
Bloom period
Eleocharis rostellata 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 rostellata native to California?
Yes. Eleocharis rostellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eleocharis rostellata bloom?
Eleocharis rostellata blooms Late spring-summer.
Where in California does Eleocharis rostellata grow?
Eleocharis rostellata occurs in Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Inyo, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Butte, Kern, Marin and other counties, at elevations of -50-2400 m.
What plant family does Eleocharis rostellata belong to?
Eleocharis rostellata is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Eleocharis.
What habitat does Eleocharis rostellata grow in?
Eleocharis rostellata grows in Uncommon. Mineral-rich fens, springs, hot springs, coastal marshes.
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.