Scirpus cyperinus

Woolgrass

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Woolgrass is a naturalized perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Highlands, specifically in Yosemite Valley and Mariposa County, growing on fresh moist streambanks and drying alluvial flats at approximately 1,200 meters elevation. Flowering from August to September, this plant produces red-brown to nearly black flowers in spikelets 3.5 to 8 millimeters long with pale green to brown midribs. Growing in dense tufts to 1 to 2 meters tall with cylindrical to triangular stems 3 to 5 millimeters in diameter, it forms a short rhizomatous base. Its leaves are relatively narrow, 3 to 10 millimeters wide, with ligules less than 1 millimeter wide, and distinctive curled perianth bristles that notably exceed the flower bracts. The small fruit is triangular, measuring 0.6 to 0.9 millimeters long.

Habitat: Fresh moist streambanks, drying alluvial flats

Bloom period: Aug-Sep

Elevation: +- 1200 m.

Bioregions: c SNH (Yosemite Valley, Mariposa Co.)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.