Isolepis setacea

Bristleleaf bulrush

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Bristleleaf bulrush is a naturalized perennial herb found in northern California Coast and northern Sierra Nevada regions on stream and pond shores, generally in coastal areas at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from late spring through fall, this plant produces small inconspicuous flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with thin rhizomatous stems 3 to 25 centimeters tall, it forms compact clumps in wet habitats. Its leaves are sparse, typically two per plant, with fine, bristle-like characteristics. The tiny fruit is ribbed lengthwise, approximately 1 millimeter long and slightly wider than tall.

Habitat: Stream, pond shores, generally coastal

Bloom period: Late spring-fall

Elevation: < 1500 m

Bioregions: NCo, n SN

California counties: Humboldt, Del Norte, Butte, Nevada, Placer, Mendocino, Yuba, Plumas, Sierra

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