Juncus balticus subsp. ater

Baltic rush, Baltic Rush

Family: Juncaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Baltic rush is a California native perennial found in most of California (excluding the Tehama region) in moist to somewhat dry sites at elevations generally below 2,200 meters. The plant produces flowers in lateral inflorescences, with perianth parts 3 to 6 millimeters long and scarious margins. Growing with slender to stout rhizomes and stems 35 to 110 centimeters tall, this rush has cylindric stems 1 to 6 millimeters wide and develops without distinct leaf blades, instead featuring variable sheaths 2 to 15 centimeters long. Its flowers have six stamens with filaments shorter than the anthers, and the fruit develops with an obvious beak. The tiny seeds, measuring 0.4 to 0.8 millimeters, are produced without distinctive appendages.

Habitat: Moist to +- dry sites

Elevation: generally < 2200 m

Bioregions: CA (exc Teh)

California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Kern, Alameda, Fresno, Humboldt, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sierra, Tulare, Butte, Mariposa, Modoc, Monterey, Nevada, San Joaquin, Siskiyou, Solano, Sutter, Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Diego, El Dorado, Sonoma, Plumas, Mendocino, Lake, Shasta, Marin, Colusa, Yuba, Lassen, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Trinity, Imperial, Yolo, Sacramento, Merced, Calaveras, Napa, Alpine, Stanislaus, Placer

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