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Eleocharis bolanderi

Gray

Bolander's Spikerush

G4Apparently Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.133187
Element CodePMCYP090A0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusEleocharis
Synonyms
Eleocharis montevidensis var. bolanderi(A. Gray) V.E. Grant
Other Common Names
Bolander's spikerush (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-28
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-03-28
Edition AuthorsRusso, Mary (TNC WRO), rev. Johnson, J. (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Eleocharis bolanderi is a perennial graminoid native to the western United States from Oregon to California east to New Mexico and Colorado. With a large range and modest number of occurrences, and unknown threats and trends, this species is apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Eleocharis bolanderi occurs in the western United States from Oregon to California east to Arizona and Colorado (FNA 2002, RARECAT 2025). There is one possible collection in Washington, but the plants are immature and identification is not certain (RARECAT 2025). Range extent was estimated to be 920,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, there are estimated to be 64 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Eleocharis bolanderi is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Eleocharis bolanderi is found on stream margins, springs, seeps, and in summer-dry meadows (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS2Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
NevadaS2Yes
WyomingS1Yes
IdahoSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
UtahS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
Joseph CanyonWallowa-Whitman National Forest24,288
Malheur RiverMalheur National Forest7,283
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  6. Smith, S.G., J.J. Bruhl, M.S. González-Elizondo, and F. J. Menapace. 2020. Flora of North America: <i>Eleocharis bolanderi</i>. Accessed: September 14, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Eleocharis_bolanderi
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).