Juncus hemiendytus var. abjectus

Center basin rush

Family: Juncaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Center basin rush is a California native annual found in the Sierra Nevada, northern Cascade Range, Modoc Plateau, and eastern Sierra Nevada in damp open areas, especially vernally wet sites, at elevations of 1,400 to 3,400 meters. Flowering details are not specified in the available data, but the plant has thin stems less than one-half millimeter wide. Growing with delicate stems that are slightly wider at the base near the flower, this rush forms small, subtle clumps in seasonal wet environments. Its stems lack bracts and produce fruits that are generally shorter than the plant's perianth. This understated annual is adapted to temporary water environments, thriving in brief windows of seasonal moisture across high elevation landscapes.

Habitat: Damp open areas, especially vernally wet

Elevation: 1400-3400 m

Bioregions: CaRH, SNH, MP (exc Wrn), SNE (exc W&ampI)

California counties: Mono, Plumas, Tulare, Modoc, Tuolumne, Nevada, Alpine, Sierra, Lassen

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