Distribution: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Newfoundland, south to northern South America.
Habitat: Wet, saline or alkaline soils.
Flowers: June - September
Origin: Native
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Diminutive, very slender perennial from slender rhizomes, forming dense mats; culms filiform, 2-6 cm. tall.
Leaves all basal and reduced to sheaths.
Spikelet terminal and solitary, 2-4.5 mm. long with 2-9 flowers; scales of the spikelets spirally arranged, 1.5-2 mm. long, the lowest one empty; perianth of 3-6 bristles, or none; stamens 3; style trifid, thickened at the base.
Achenes straw-colored, triangular 0.9-1.3 mm. long including the inconspicuous tubercle, which is confluent with the body of the achene.
Publication: Comp. Fl. German. ed. 2. 1: 93. 1836. 1836.
Eleocharis pygmaea Torr.
Scirpus nanus Spreng.
Scirpus parvulus Roem. & Schult.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Eleocharis parvula in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Eleocharis parvula checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Eleocharis parvula atlas page.
CalPhotos: Eleocharis parvula photos.
USDA Plants: Eleocharis parvula information.
