Juncus leiospermus var. leiospermus

Red bluff dwarf rush

Family: Juncaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Red bluff dwarf rush is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in northern California regions including northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Cascade Range, northern Sacramento Valley, and Modoc Plateau in vernal pool margins and wet chaparral woodlands at elevations of 280 to 500 meters. Flowering during spring months, this plant produces small greenish-brown flowers clustered in groups of 2 to 7 per stem. Growing with slender, delicate stems typically less than 15 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in seasonal wet habitats. Its narrow leaves are inconspicuous and closely clustered near the base of the plant. This diminutive rush thrives in ephemeral wetland environments, quickly completing its life cycle during the brief wet season.

Habitat: Vernal pool margins, wet places in chaparral, woodland

Elevation: 280-500 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, CaRF, n SNF, n ScV (Shasta, Tehama, Butte cos.), MP.

California counties: Butte, Shasta, Tehama

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