Luzula comosa var. laxa
Hairy wood rush
(c) Millie Basden, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Millie Basden · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Luzula comosa var. laxa (Hairy wood rush) is a native California perennial in the Juncaceae family, recognized by umbel arrangement vs. congested head.
Hairy wood rush is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range highlands, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in wet meadows, creekbanks, springs, and open woodland at elevations up to 3,150 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces small clustered brownish-green flowers in dense umbel-like spikes 6 to 28 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 13 to 35 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive bulb-like base and delicate grass-like appearance. Its leaves are narrow and soft, forming loose tufts with a characteristic hairy texture characteristic of wood rushes. The plant produces small clusters of flowers with perianth parts 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, creating delicate seed heads in damp mountain habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinguished by umbel arrangement vs. congested head
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet to seasonally moist meadows, creekbanks, springs, damp thickets, trails, rocky slopes, open woodland, conifer forest, serpentine tolerant
Elevation: < 3150 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, New Mexico
Bloom period
Luzula comosa var. laxa blooms Jun-Jul.
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 var. laxa native to California?
Yes. Luzula comosa var. laxa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Luzula comosa var. laxa bloom?
Luzula comosa var. laxa blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Luzula comosa var. laxa belong to?
Luzula comosa var. laxa is in the Juncaceae family, genus Luzula.
What habitat does Luzula comosa var. laxa grow in?
Luzula comosa var. laxa grows in Wet to seasonally moist meadows, creekbanks, springs, damp thickets, trails, rocky slopes, open woodland, conifer forest, serpentine tolerant.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.