Juncus nodosus
Knotted rush
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Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Juncus nodosus (Knotted rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by distinctive tuber-bearing rhizomes and spherical flower clusters.
Knotted rush is a native perennial found in southeastern Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains, and northern Desert Mountains in streambanks, lakeshores, and wet meadows at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from June to September (inferred), this plant produces small spherical clusters of flowers with perianth parts 2.5 to 4.1 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall, it develops from a creeping rhizome that produces small tubers. Its leaves are cylindric, with firm leaf sheaths and prominent crosswalls, with upper blades extending beyond the plant's inflorescence. The fruit is slender, sharply three-angled, and longer than the perianth, with tiny seeds measuring just 0.5 millimeters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 30 sympatric species; distinctive tuber-bearing rhizomes and spherical flower clusters
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, lakeshores, wet meadows
Elevation: < 1700 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, Orange, Lassen
Outside California: to Alaska, Texas, Virginia, Maine, eastern Canada, Mexico
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.3
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 nodosus native to California?
Yes. Juncus nodosus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juncus nodosus grow?
Juncus nodosus occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, Orange, Lassen, at elevations of < 1700 m.
What plant family does Juncus nodosus belong to?
Juncus nodosus is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
Is Juncus nodosus rare or endangered?
Juncus nodosus carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Juncus nodosus grow in?
Juncus nodosus grows in Streambanks, lakeshores, wet meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.