Luzula comosa
Common wood rush
(c) Millie Basden, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Millie Basden · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Luzula comosa (Common wood rush) is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family.
Common wood rush is a native perennial found in woodland habitats at elevations likely in the mid to high elevation ranges of California. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces pale to mid-brown flowers in compact, variable inflorescences that can range from a single erect head to clusters of loose spikes. Growing in clumped tufts 10 to 78 centimeters tall with sturdy, nearly vertical rhizomes, it forms dense clusters with distinctive growth. Its flat leaves are notably ciliate with thickened, blunt tips, with basal leaves 7 to 36 centimeters long and 3.5 to 6 millimeters wide, and cauline leaves somewhat narrower. The small perianth parts are 2 to 3.6 millimeters long, with ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid seeds having tiny appendages.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated species with no sympatric congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Butte, Kern, Mariposa, Mono, Tulare, Tuolumne, Alameda, Alpine, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Amador, Modoc, Sacramento, Shasta, Yuba, Tehama
How to tell it apart
vs Juncus: Run finger along leaf edge - hairy = Luzula, smooth = Juncus.; vs Carex: Luzula has hairy leaf margins; Carex has smooth margins and triangular stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luzula comosa native to California?
Yes. Luzula comosa is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Luzula comosa grow?
Luzula comosa occurs in Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Butte, Kern, Mariposa, Mono, Tulare and other counties.
What plant family does Luzula comosa belong to?
Luzula comosa is in the Juncaceae family, genus Luzula.
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.