Luzula divaricata
(c) Sam Eberhard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Luzula divaricata is a native California grass in the Juncaceae family, recognized by distinctive stiff spreading branches at 90° angles.
Divaricate woodrush is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range high elevations, and Sierra Nevada High Sierra in subalpine forest openings to alpine slopes at elevations of 1,900 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces pale to red-brown flowers in loose, spheric panicles up to 14 centimeters wide with branches spreading at nearly 90-degree angles. Growing densely tufted with pale green stems 15 to 39 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters with glabrous foliage. Its flat leaf blades are 4 to 6 millimeters wide, with basal leaves up to 20 centimeters long and cauline leaves shorter, tapering to acute tips. The fruit is ovoid-triangular, pale to dark brown, and slightly longer than the flower's perianth parts.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; distinctive stiff spreading branches at 90° angles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Subalpine forest openings to alpine slopes
Elevation: 1900-3700 m
California counties: Tulare, Inyo, Alpine, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tuolumne, Placer, Sierra, Butte
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Luzula divaricata blooms Jun-Aug.
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 divaricata native to California?
Yes. Luzula divaricata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Luzula divaricata bloom?
Luzula divaricata blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Luzula divaricata grow?
Luzula divaricata occurs in Tulare, Inyo, Alpine, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Mono and other counties, at elevations of 1900-3700 m.
What plant family does Luzula divaricata belong to?
Luzula divaricata is in the Juncaceae family, genus Luzula.
What habitat does Luzula divaricata grow in?
Luzula divaricata grows in Subalpine forest openings to alpine slopes.
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.