Lipocarpha micrantha
Small flowered hemicarpha
(c) Bryan Connolly, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Lipocarpha micrantha (Small flowered hemicarpha) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by very short awns <0.2mm and fruit widest at middle.
Small flowered hemicarpha is a California native annual found in the North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, and Central Valley in wet soil habitats at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces small, dense spikes of flowers approximately 3 to 6 millimeters long. Growing with diminutive stems 1 to 10 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in moist ground. Its minute flowers feature outer bracts about 0.8 to 1 millimeter long with very short awns. The fruit is tiny, roughly 0.7 to 0.8 millimeters wide, light to dark brown with fine pitting and convex surfaces.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by very short awns <0.2mm and fruit widest at middle
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet soil
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Ventura, Calaveras, Fresno, Lassen, Sacramento, Trinity, Tuolumne, Riverside, El Dorado, Shasta, Butte, Merced, Plumas, Madera, Tehama, Nevada, Glenn, Yuba, Humboldt, Placer, Stanislaus, San Diego, San Joaquin
Outside California: southern Canada, United States, tropical America
Bloom period
Lipocarpha micrantha blooms Aug-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Eleocharis: Lipocarpha has leaf-like bracts at base of clusters, Eleocharis completely lacks bracts below spikelet.; vs Isolepis: Lipocarpha has multi-veined outer bracts, Isolepis bracts have single midvein.; vs Trichophorum: Lipocarpha is tiny annual in mud, Trichophorum is perennial in bogs with bristly seeds.; vs Amphiscirpus: Lipocarpha grows in wet mud along shores, Amphiscirpus grows submerged in deeper water.; vs Schoenoplectus: Lipocarpha is tiny annual under 16 inches, Schoenoplectus is typically much taller perennial.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lipocarpha micrantha native to California?
Yes. Lipocarpha micrantha is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lipocarpha micrantha bloom?
Lipocarpha micrantha blooms Aug-Oct.
Where in California does Lipocarpha micrantha grow?
Lipocarpha micrantha occurs in Ventura, Calaveras, Fresno, Lassen, Sacramento, Trinity, Tuolumne, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Lipocarpha micrantha belong to?
Lipocarpha micrantha is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Lipocarpha.
What habitat does Lipocarpha micrantha grow in?
Lipocarpha micrantha grows in Wet soil.
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.