Taxon Report

Eriophorum gracile W.D.J. Koch

slender cottongrass

Print Report


©2011 Steven Perry

Taxon Summary

Eriophorum gracile, commonly known as slender cottongrass, is a perennial rhizomatous herb (emergent) in the Cyperaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Bogs and fens, Meadows and seeps, and Upper montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 1280 to 2900 meters. Eriophorum gracile is ranked 4.3, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Not very threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Eriophorum gracile W.D.J. Koch
Common Name:
 slender cottongrass
Family: Cyperaceae
Element Code: PMCYP0A080
USDA Plants Symbol: ERGR8
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb (emergent)
Blooming Period: May-Sep May-Sep
Elevation: 1280-2900 (4200-9515)
General Habitats: Bogs and fens, Meadows and seeps, Upper montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat: Acidic
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 4.3
Global Rank: G5
State Rank:
 S4
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:
  • added to 4.3 on 2006-10-31

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 0
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 0

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Amador (AMA), Butte (BUT), Calaveras (CAL), El Dorado (ELD), Fresno (FRE), Lassen (LAS), Madera (MAD), Mariposa (MPA), Merced (MER), Nevada (NEV), Placer (PLA), Plumas (PLU), San Benito (SBT), Santa Clara (SCL), Shasta (SHA), Sierra (SIE), Siskiyou (SIS)?, Sonoma (SON), Stanislaus (STA), Tehama (TEH), Trinity (TRI), Tuolumne (TUO)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Bear River Reservoir (3812052), Belden (4012113), Bickmore Canyon (3612152), Big Bend (4112118), Bucks Lake (3912182), Burney (4012186), Butte Meadows (4012115), Chester (4012132), City of Mount Shasta (4112233), Clio (3912065), Copper Mtn. (3712143), Curry Mountain (3612014), Diamond Mtn. (4012036), Dorrington (3812033), Echo Lake (3812071), Eylar Mtn. (3712145), Fredonyer Pass (4012037), Freel Peak (3811978), Half Dome (3711965), Hatchet Mtn. Pass (4012177), Hobart Mills (3912042), Homewood (3912012), Humbug Valley (4012123), Isabel Valley (3712135), Jacks Backbone (4012166), Jess Valley (4112023), Jonesville (4012114), Kimshew Point (3912184), Lake Eleanor (3711987), Lonoak (3612038), Martis Peak (3912031), McCloud (4112232), Meadow Valley (3912181), Meeks Bay (3912011), Mt. Harkness (4012143), Mt. Ritter (3711962), Mt. Shasta (4112242), North Chalone Peak (3612142), Ortigalita Peak (3612078), Pikes Point (4012057), Pondosa (4112126), Reading Peak (4012144), Red Cinder (4012142), Riverton (3812074), Rock Spring Peak (3612048), Sattley (3912054), Sebastopol (3812247), Solyo (3712153), Tamarack Flat (3711976), Tangle Blue Lake (4112226)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 0
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
0 0 %

Notes
Potentially threatened by development and hydrological alterations. Possibly threatened by grazing and trampling.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2006-10-31
USFS Potential Species of Conservation Concern Profile
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 23 February 2025].