Juncus macrandrus
Long-anthered rush
(c) Mike Heine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Juncus macrandrus (Long-anthered rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by distinctive large anthers and mountain habitat.
Long-anthered rush is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Transverse Ranges, San Jacinto Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada in wet meadows, creekbanks, and conifer forest at elevations of 1,200 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from June to September (inferred), this plant produces dark purple-brown flowers with occasional green midveins. Growing in dense clusters with creeping rhizomes, it forms tufted stems 30 to 50 centimeters tall with flat leaves 1.5 to 3.5 millimeters wide. Its basal leaves have overlapping bases with edges oriented toward the stem, creating a distinctive growth pattern. The fruit is characterized by a widely oblong body shorter than the perianth, with seeds that are narrowly elliptic and delicately net-veined.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species; distinctive large anthers and mountain habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet meadows, creekbanks, in conifer forest
Elevation: 1200-2900 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mono, San Mateo, Tulare, El Dorado, Fresno, Lassen, Nevada, Plumas, Santa Cruz, Riverside, Ventura, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera, Alpine, Kern, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Placer
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 macrandrus native to California?
Yes. Juncus macrandrus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juncus macrandrus grow?
Juncus macrandrus occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mono, San Mateo, Tulare, El Dorado, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 1200-2900 m.
What plant family does Juncus macrandrus belong to?
Juncus macrandrus is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
What habitat does Juncus macrandrus grow in?
Juncus macrandrus grows in Wet meadows, creekbanks, in conifer forest.
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.