''Luzula orestera'', with the common name Sierra woodrush, is a species of flowering plant in the rush family. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the High Sierra Nevada of

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, where it grows in

fellfield A fellfield or fell field comprises the environment of a slope, usually alpine or tundra, where the dynamics of frost (freeze and thaw cycles) and of wind give rise to characteristic plant forms in scree interstices. Soil dynamics The freeze-thaw ...

s, talus, and other habitat in regions of

subalpine Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

and

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of ...

Description

''Luzula orestera'' is a perennial herb forming tough clumps of several stiff, erect stems up to about 26 centimeters in maximum height surrounded by many grasslike leaves. The stem and leaves are generally reddish in color. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a triangular cluster of several dark brown flowers tucked between reddish, pointed

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Luzula orestera''''Luzula orestera'' - Photo gallery
orestera Endemic flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Alpine flora Plants described in 1958 Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Poales-stub