Juncus duranii
Duran's rush
(c) Zac Peterson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Juncus duranii (Duran's rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by high elevation, small size, and distinctive rolled bract tip.
Duran's rush is a California native perennial found in the San Gabriel, San Bernardno, and San Jacinto Mountains in montane conifer forest creek banks and wet places at elevations of 1,800 to 2,750 meters. Flowering from June to August (inferred), this delicate rush produces brown flowers in small clusters with stiff lance-linear perianth parts. Growing as a tufted, cespitose herb with slender, slightly flattened stems 3 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms a vertical underground rhizome. Its cauline leaves feature prominent rounded sheath appendages and cylindric blades that typically extend shorter than the stem, with long, delicate tips. The plant produces small obovoid fruits approximately equal in length to its perianth, with tiny seed capsules just 0.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 33 sympatric species; key features are high elevation, small size, and distinctive rolled bract tip
Habitat and range
Habitat: Creek banks, wet places, in montane conifer forest
Elevation: 1800-2750 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 duranii native to California?
Yes. Juncus duranii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juncus duranii grow?
Juncus duranii occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, at elevations of 1800-2750 m.
What plant family does Juncus duranii belong to?
Juncus duranii is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
Is Juncus duranii rare or endangered?
Juncus duranii carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Juncus duranii grow in?
Juncus duranii grows in Creek banks, wet places, in montane conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.