Juncus regelii
Regel's rush, Regel's Rush
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
Juncus regelii (Regel's rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by Klamath endemic with papillate flowers having sub-apical bristles.
Regel's rush is a native perennial rush found in the Klamath Ranges in montane meadows at elevations of 800 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from summer months, this plant produces clustered flowers with perianth parts 4 to 6 millimeters long in pale to dark brown tones. Growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall with a stout rhizome and slender, somewhat flattened stems, it forms occasional dense tufts. Its leaves are primarily basal, very narrow, less than 3 millimeters wide, with no visible crosswalls and minimal cauline leaves. The fruit is spherical, dark purple-brown with a tiny beak approximately 0.5 millimeters long, containing seeds 1.2 to 1.8 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species; Klamath endemic with papillate flowers having sub-apical bristles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Montane meadows
Elevation: 800-1900 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Wyoming, Utah
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 regelii native to California?
Yes. Juncus regelii is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Juncus regelii belong to?
Juncus regelii is in the Juncaceae family, genus Juncus.
Is Juncus regelii rare or endangered?
Juncus regelii carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.3, state rank S1.
What habitat does Juncus regelii grow in?
Juncus regelii grows in Montane meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.