Juncus mertensianus

Mertens' rush

Family: Juncaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Mertens' rush is a California native perennial rush found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Warner Mountains, and eastern Sierra Nevada in alpine and subalpine meadows, streambanks, and lake margins at elevations of 1,200 to 3,500 meters. With distinctive flat stems 15 to 45 centimeters tall, the plant produces clusters with more than 12 flowers featuring dark brown bractlets. Growing from a vertical, stout rhizome, it develops two to three cauline leaves with prominent sheath appendages and cylindric blades. Its leaves have complete crosswalls, with perianth parts measuring 3 to 4 millimeters long and appearing shiny brown-black. The fruit is oblong, approximately equal to or slightly shorter than the perianth, with a notched or truncate tip.

Habitat: Common. Alpine, subalpine meadows, streambanks, lake margins

Elevation: 1200-3500 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoRH, CaRH, SNH, Wrn, SNE

California counties: Fresno, Mono, Siskiyou, Tulare, Amador, Madera, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Inyo, El Dorado, Modoc, Alpine, Los Angeles, Sierra, Plumas, Placer, Mariposa, Lassen, Butte, Marin, Humboldt, Del Norte

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