Luzula multiflora

This record represents the narrow concept of Luzula multiflora following FNA (vol. 22, 2000) not including L. multiflora var. kjellmanioides (= L. kjellmaniana) which is elevated to full species. FNA's (vol. 22, 2000) treatment of Luzula multiflora recognizes three subspecies in North America: L. multiflora ssp. multiflora (including L. multiflora var. acadiensis), L. multiflora ssp. frigida (including L. multiflora var. contracta), and L. multiflora ssp. kobayasii.

Luzula multiflora is a perennial graminoid in a variety of open habitats from sea level to subalpine altitudes with six subspecies, three of which occur in North America. It occurs nearly worldwide, native circumboreally from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming and Oregon in the United States north throughout all of Canada and Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, throughout Europe and northern Asia. It is introduced in portions of North America, Australia, New Zealand, and other areas, though determining introductions can be challenging. There are estimated to be over 10,000 occurrences, which potentially face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, and habitat shifting. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.

Luzula multiflora occurs nearly worldwide, native circumboreally from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming and Oregon in the United States north throughout all of Canada and Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, throughout Europe and northern Asia (FNA 2000, Kirshner 2002). It is introduced in portions of North America, Australia, New Zealand, and other areas, though determining introductions can be challenging (Kirshner 2002). Three of the six recognized subspecies occur in North America; see individual entries for distribution details about these three subspecies (FNA 2000, Kirshner 2002). Range extent was estimated to be over 60 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 10,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, habitat shifting, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.