Juncus lescurii
San francisco rush, San Francisco Rush
(c) Fue Her, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Juncus lescurii (San francisco rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by large coastal marsh specialist with no leaf blades.
San francisco rush is a California native perennial found in northern and central coastal bioregions in salt or freshwater marshes, shores of creeks and lakes at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from June to September (extrapolated), this plant produces small green and dark brown flowers in dense, branching clusters. Growing with creeping rhizomes and erect stems 30 to 140 centimeters tall, it develops distinctive cylindric stems without typical leaf blades. Its basal leaf sheaths range from pale to dark brown with a dull to slightly shiny surface, while the plant's flower perianth measures 5 to 8 millimeters long with acuminate sepals. The fruit is light brown, three-angled with an acute tip, containing tiny ovoid seeds approximately 0.4 to 0.7 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; large coastal marsh specialist with no leaf blades
Habitat and range
Habitat: Salt or freshwater marshes, shores of creeks and lakes
Elevation: < 100 m
California counties: Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt, Monterey, Alameda, Mendocino, Contra Costa, Del Norte, San Bernardino, Solano
Outside California: southern Oregon
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 lescurii native to California?
Yes. Juncus lescurii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juncus lescurii grow?
Juncus lescurii occurs in Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt and other counties, at elevations of < 100 m.
What plant family does Juncus lescurii belong to?
Juncus lescurii is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
What habitat does Juncus lescurii grow in?
Juncus lescurii grows in Salt or freshwater marshes, shores of creeks and lakes.
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.