Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Eleocharis parvula is a species of spikesedge known by the common names dwarf spikerush and small spikerush. It is has a circumboreal distribution, growing throughout Eurasia and North America, into Central America. It is a plant of brackish and saltwater habitat, such as marshes and mudflats. It is a perennial herb growing tufts of spongy, compressible stems not more than 10 centimeters tall. The plant grows from a tuber which is J-shaped or horseshoe-shaped, a characteristic that helps in the identification of the species. The flower cluster is an oval-shaped spikelet just 2 or 3 millimeters long, made up of several tiny flowers.

Plant type

Grass

Size

4 - 14 in Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

Green

Flowering season

Summer

Sun

Full Sun

Water

High

Soil drainage

Standing

Soil description

Adaptable, tolerant of sand, loam and clay.

Site type

Wet, saline flats, marshes

Plant communities

Coastal Salt Marsh, Wetland-Riparian

Birds
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

Thopeutis forbesellus