Luzula echinata — hedgehog wood rush
![Inflorescences: Luzula echinata. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaceae/luzula-echinata-in-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Leaves and auricles: Luzula echinata. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaceae/luzula-echinata-la-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Flowers and fruits: Luzula echinata. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaceae/luzula-echinata-ff-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Luzula echinata. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Juncaceae/luzula-echinata-in-efarnsworth.jpg)
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Facts
Hedgehog wood rush enters New England at the northeastern limit of its range, where it is a rare inhabitant of deciduous forests and fields in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The inflorescences look vaguely hedgehog-like, and the leaves are tipped with tiny points.
Habitat
Forests, meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is round or oval in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 2–7 mm
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is branched
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is a capsule, with at least three seeds in it
- Fruit length
- 1.9–2.3 mm
- Leaf position on plant
- some leaf attachment points are above the midpoint of the stem
- Perianth composition
- the perianth is green or brown, with six sepal-like parts, and a leafy texture
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
-
Flowers
- Anther color (dry)
- the anthers range in color from white to tan or yellow to yellow-brown
- Anther length
- 0.7–1.2 mm
- Floral bristle color
- NA
- Floral bristle number
- NA
- Floral bristle relative length
- NA
- Floral bristles
- NA
- Floral scale hairs
- NA
- Floral scale length
- 0 mm
- Floral scale nerves
- NA
- Flower number per cluster
- 5-20
- Inflorescence bract angle
- the bracts are vertical or angled only slightly outwards
- Inflorescence bract number
- there are two to five bracts per inflorescence
- Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
- NA
- Inflorescence bracts
- there are at least two bracts, and they are either flat or folded or rolled in at the edges
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is branched
- Inflorescence crowding
- the inflorescence is at least somewhat spread out, with at least one branch coming from the main stem
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence shape
- the aggregations within the inflorescence are roughly circular (not flattened) in cross-section
- Inflorescence type
- there are two or more flowers, spikes or flower clusters on a branched inflorescence
- Perianth composition
- the perianth is green or brown, with six sepal-like parts, and a leafy texture
- Stamen number
- 4-6
- Stigma number
- 3
- floral bristle barbs
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene beak length
- 0 mm
- Achene surface texture
- NA
- Achene tubercle relative width
- NA
- Achene tubercle width
- 0 mm
- Capsule relative length
-
- the capsule is about equal to the perianth
- the capsule is shorter than the perianth
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
- Fruit length
- 1.9–2.3 mm
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is a capsule, with at least three seeds in it
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Locules in capsule
- the capsule has one locule
- Seed length
- 1.2–1.6 mm
- Seed tail relative length
- 1.2–1.6 mm
- Seed tails
- the seeds have tail-like projections
- Tubercle height
- 0 mm
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Auricle length
- 0 mm
- Auricle texture
- NA
- Auricles
- there are no auricles on the leaf sheath
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- Leaf blade length
- 40–150 mm
- Leaf blade width
- 2–7 mm
- Leaf form
- all the leaves hold their form out of water
- Leaf position on plant
- some leaf attachment points are above the midpoint of the stem
- Leaf septa
- the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
- Leaf sheath hairs
- the leaf sheathes have hairs on them
- Pedicel length (Typha)
- 0 mm
- Stem leaf blade ligules
- there are no ligules at the leaf blade bases
- Stem leaf blades
- there are fully-developed leaves with leaf blades on the main stem
- Width of seed-producing inflorescence
- 6–9 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- meadows or fields
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 15–45 cm
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is round or oval in cross-section
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (uncertain) (S-rank: S4?)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
5. Luzula echinata (Small) Hermann NC
hedgehog wood rush. Juncoides echinatum Small; Luzula campestris (L.) DC. var. echinata (Small) Fern. & Wieg.; L. multiflora (Ehrh.) Lej. var. echinata (Small) Mohlenbrock • CT, MA. Deciduous forests, forested slopes, fields.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Luzula multiflora:
- leaves with a blunt, rounded tip, the calloused apex evident and anthers up to 2 times as long as the associated filaments (vs. L. echinata, with leaves with a minute point at the tip, the calloused apex narrow and obscure and anthers 2-4 times as long as the associated filaments).
- Luzula campestris:
- leaves with a blunt, rounded tip, the calloused apex evident and seeds 1-1.3 mm long (vs. L. echinata, with leaves with a minute point at the tip, the calloused apex narrow and obscure and seeds 1.2-1.6 mm long).
Synonyms
- Juncoides echinatum Small
- Luzula campestris (L.) DC. var. echinata (Small) Fern. & Wieg.