SimplePlant

Cyperaceae

Purple spikerush

Eleocharis atropurpurea (Retz.) J.Presl & C.Presl

Family
Cyperaceae
Genus
Eleocharis

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Purple spikerush (Eleocharis atropurpurea)
FlowerPhoto: Jay Horn, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (3)
Chinese
黑果蔺, 黑果藺, 紫果蔺, 紫果藺
English
Purple spikerush
Punjabi
ਛੋਟੀ ਘੂੰਈਂ

Synonyms

  • Aplostemon atropurpureus (Retz.) Raf.
  • Eleocharis monandra Hochst.
  • Eleogenus atropurpureus (Retz.) Nees
  • Eleogiton atropurpurea (Retz.) A.Dietr.
  • Isolepis atropurpurea (Retz.) Roem. & Schult.
  • Scirpus atropurpureus Retz.
  • Trichophyllum atropurpureum House
  • Trichophyllum atropurpureum (Retz.) House

Flowers

In flower
August to September, November (from 12 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Graminoid
Lifespan
Annual
In the US and Canada
Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native

Photos

More in Eleocharis

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.