Juncus bolanderi
Bolander's rush
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Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Juncus bolanderi (Bolander's rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by . Key features: 1-3 dense >20-flowered clusters, 3 stamens, crosswalls complete.
Bolander's rush is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the high Cascade Range, central coastal California, and San Francisco Bay Area in swampy or sandy ground at elevations below 1,600 meters. Flowering from late spring to summer, this rush produces dark to light brown flowers in dense clusters of over 20 blooms. Growing with stout, creeping rhizomes and reaching 30 to 80 centimeters tall, it develops cylindric leaves 10 to 20 centimeters long and less than 1.5 millimeters wide. Its leaves are characterized by basal scale-like structures and cauline leaves with scarious sheath appendages 3 to 5 millimeters long. The plant produces oblong fruits with short beaks, roughly equal in length to the perianth parts.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 59 sympatric species. Key features: 1-3 dense >20-flowered clusters, 3 stamens, crosswalls complete
Habitat and range
Habitat: Swampy or sandy ground
Elevation: < 1600 m
California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte, Lake, Marin, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Trinity, Shasta, Colusa, Tehama, Napa, San Mateo
Outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho
How to tell it apart
vs Schoenoplectus: Juncus has leaf blades present; Schoenoplectus is leafless with only bladeless sheaths at base.; vs Carex: Juncus has round or flattened stems; Carex has triangular stems you can feel.; vs Luzula: Run finger along leaf edge - smooth = Juncus, hairy = Luzula.; vs Elegia: Juncus has small individual flowers; Elegia has showy papery bracts and branching structure.; vs Cyperus: Juncus has round stems and capsules; Cyperus has triangular stems and lens-shaped achenes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Juncus bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Juncus bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juncus bolanderi grow?
Juncus bolanderi occurs in Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte, Lake, Marin, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Sonoma and other counties, at elevations of < 1600 m.
What plant family does Juncus bolanderi belong to?
Juncus bolanderi is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
What habitat does Juncus bolanderi grow in?
Juncus bolanderi grows in Swampy or sandy ground.
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.