Triglochin scilloides
Flowering-quillwort
(c) Patricio Novoa, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Juncaginaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Triglochin scilloides (Flowering-quillwort) is a native California grass in the Juncaginaceae family, recognized by annual habit and unique flower structure.
Flowering-quillwort is a native annual found in coastal, central, and great basin regions of California in vernal pools, streams, ponds, and lake margins at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from March to October, this delicate aquatic plant produces inconspicuous greenish flowers in dense spikes that emerge from the water. Growing as a tufted plant that begins submersed and becomes partially emergent, it develops slender stems with thread-like leaves 5 to 20 centimeters long and less than 5 millimeters wide. Its distinctive leaves are elliptic to nearly round in cross-section, with a short ligule approximately 1 millimeter long with an obtuse or slightly notched tip. The fruit develops as a small ribbed achene 2 to 10 millimeters long, with a truncate tip featuring an off-center beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by annual habit and unique flower structure
Habitat and range
Habitat: Vernal pools, streams, ponds, lake margins
Elevation: < 1700 m
California counties: Riverside, Butte, Tehama, Sacramento, Lassen, Nevada, Shasta, Placer, Yuba, Merced, Alameda, Contra Costa, Plumas, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Monterey, Santa Clara, Yolo, Stanislaus, Tulare, Sonoma, Sierra, Napa, Tuolumne, Marin
Outside California: to western Canada, Montana, Mexico, Chile, naturalized in Australia, Iberian Peninsula
Bloom period
Triglochin scilloides blooms Mar-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Plantago: Triglochin has bractless flower spikes with scale-like flowers; Plantago has obvious leafy bracts below the flower cluster.; vs Typha: Triglochin has a slender spike of tiny greenish flowers; Typha has dense, brown, sausage-shaped flower heads.; vs Juncus: Triglochin leaves are semicircular in cross-section with a groove above; Juncus leaves are round or flat without a groove.; vs Rumex: Triglochin leaves are undivided grass-like blades; Rumex has broader leaves with a distinct midvein and papery sheaths.; vs Lomandra: Triglochin has tiny greenish flowers in a slender spike; Lomandra has larger cream-yellow flowers in dense clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Triglochin scilloides native to California?
Yes. Triglochin scilloides is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Triglochin scilloides bloom?
Triglochin scilloides blooms Mar-Oct.
Where in California does Triglochin scilloides grow?
Triglochin scilloides occurs in Riverside, Butte, Tehama, Sacramento, Lassen, Nevada, Shasta, Placer and other counties, at elevations of < 1700 m.
What plant family does Triglochin scilloides belong to?
Triglochin scilloides is in the Juncaginaceae family, genus Triglochin.
What habitat does Triglochin scilloides grow in?
Triglochin scilloides grows in Vernal pools, streams, ponds, lake margins.
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.