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Juncus effusus

(Cork Screw Rush)

Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in English:

Common Rush, Cork Screw Rush, Lamp Rush, Soft Rush

Common Names in French:

Jonc à Lier, Jonc épars

Common Names in German:

Flatterbinse

Common Names in Portuguese:

Junco

Common Names in Spanish:

Junquera

Description

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Family Juncaceae

Herbs, very rarely shrublike, perennial or annual , tufted or with erect or creeping rhizome. Stems erect, terete or laterally flattened. Leaves occasionally reduced to a bladeless or nearly bladeless sheath at base of stem (cataphyll) ; leaf sheath often shortly prolonged on both sides into a pair of auricles at leaf blade juncture; leaf blade of basal and cauline leaves usually linear or filiform , grasslike and flat, or terete, glabrous except for pilose margin on some grasslike blades. Inflorescence a panicle, corymb, or 1-flowered. Flowers bisexual or unisexual and plants dioecious, mostly wind pollinated, regular, usually small, usually 1- or 2-bracteolate at base. Perianth segments (3 or) 6, in (1 or) 2 whorls, free , usually greenish to brownish or blackish, rarely white or yellowish, glumelike. Stamens 3 or 6, if 6 then 3 opposite outer perianth segments; filaments thin; anthers basifixed , 2-loculed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; pollen grains in tetrads . Ovary superior, 1-loculed, or divided by 3 septa and 3-loculed, or incompletely septate ; ovules 3 and inserted at base of ovary, or numerous and biseriate on 3 parietal placentas. Stigmas 3, papillose . Fruit a capsule, 1--3-valved, loculicidal. Seeds globose , ovoid , or fusiform , small, sometimes appendaged; appendage caudate ; embryo straight, minute, enclosed by fleshy endosperm.

About eight genera and ca. 400 species: widely distributed in temperate and cold regions of both hemispheres, in tropical regions restricted to high elevations ; two genera and 92 species (33 endemic) in China.[1]

Genus Juncus

Herbs, perennial or rarely annual , rhizomatous or cespitose. Culms round or flattened in cross section . Cataphylls often present at culm base. Leaves: sheaths open; blade flat, channeled , ensiform or terete , sometimes septate , margins involute . Inflorescences terminal or pseudoaxillary, monochasia or dichasia, usually with monochasial branches, cymes or 1--many heads in racemes or panicles; bracteoles 2 or absent. Flowers: tepals (4--) 6 in 2 whorls; stamens (2--) 3--6. Capsules 1-locular or 3-locular, septicidal . Seeds many, ellipsoid to ovoid , sometimes tailed .

Species ca. 300: worldwide except Antarctica.[2]

Physical Description

Species Juncus effusus

Herbs, perennial , 4--13 dm. Rhizomes short -branched, forming distinct , often large clumps . Culms erect , terete , 1--2.5 mm diam. at top of sheaths . Cataphylls several. Leaves: blade absent. Inflorescences lateral , compound dichasia, many flowered; primary bract erect, terete, extending well beyond dichasium. Flowers: tepals tan or darker, usually with greenish midstripe, lanceolate, 1.9--3.5 mm; inner slightly shorter; stamens 3, filaments 0.5--0.8 mm, anthers 0.5--0.8 mm; style 0.2 mm. Capsules greenish tan or darker, 3-locular, broadly ellipsoid to oblate , 1.5--3.2 mm. Seeds amber, (0.3--) 0.4---0.5 mm. 2n = 40, 42. Flowering summer, fruiting summer--fall. [source]

The Juncus effusus complex has been variously recognized as containing several species or a single species with numerous infraspecific taxa. Unfortunately, North American treatments have dealt primarily with taxa in either the eastern or western portions of the continent. In considering the continent as a whole, little sense can be made of these treatments. The North American J. effusus complex is one that is in obvious need of modern systematic scrutiny. [source]

Habit: Graminoid

Flowers: Bloom Period: May, June, July. • Flower Color: bronze, brown

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 6-12" tall.

Habitat

Swamps and their edges , marshes, moist meadows, and moist or saturated soils, often conspicuous in pasture meadows where it is shunned by grazing animals; Habitat??; 0--2500 m [3].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,653 meters (0 to 15,266 feet).[4]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 18-24" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 4.6 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Light Shade.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. J. effusus var. brunneus Engelmann
  2. J. effusus var. caeruleomontanus H. St. John
  3. J. effusus var. conglomeratus (Linnaeus) Engelmann
  4. J. effusus var. costulatus Fernaldst. John
  5. J. effusus var. dicipiens Buchenau
  6. J. effusus var. exiguus Fernald & Wiegand
  7. J. effusus var. gracilis Hooker, J. Effusus Var. pacificus Fernald & Wiegand
  8. J. effusus var. pylaei (Laharpe) Fernald & Wiegand
  9. J. effusus var. solutus Fernald & Wiegand
  10. J. effusus var. subglomeratus Lamarck & De Candolle
  11. J. griscomii Fernald, J. Pylaei Laharpe
  12. Juncus acutiflorus effusus G. Mey.
  13. Juncus communis E. Mey.
  14. Juncus communis effusus (L.) Celak
  15. Juncus conglomeratus Linnaeus
  16. Juncus conglomeratus var. effusus (L.) Kostel.
  17. Juncus effusus var. macranthelus K. Koch
  18. Juncus laevis var. effusus (L.) Wallr.
  19. Juncus laevis Wallr.

Notes

Publishing author : Hort.Angl. ex Andre Publication : Illustr. Hortic. xxvii. (1880) t. 393 Publishing author: Graebner Publication: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. xlviii. 506 (1912) Publishing author: Bojer Publication: Hort. Maurit. 360 Publishing author: Colenso Publication: in Trans. N. Z. Inst. xix. 1886 (1887) 269; Buchenau, in Bot, Jahrb. xii. (1890)232. Publishing author: Burnham Publication: Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. (1845) 492 Publishing author: Robyns & Tournay Publication: in Bull . Jard. Bot. Brux. xxv. 252 (1955). Publishing author: Guss. Publication: Fl. Sic . Prod. 431 Publishing author: Willd. ex E.Mey. Publication: Syn. Luzul. 29 1823 Publishing author: H.B. & K . Publication: Nov. Gen. Sp. [H.B.K.] i. 235 Publishing author: Lej. Publishing author: Buchenau. Publication: Krit. Verz. Juncac. 11 1880 Basionym author: (Willd. ex E.Mey.) Publishing author: H.St.John. Publication: Res. Stud. State Coll. Wash . 2: 110 1931 Publishing author: Farw. Publication: Amer. Midl. Naturalist 10: 206 1927 Publishing author: Fernald & Wiegand. Publication: Rhodora 12: 90 1910 Publishing author: Fernald & Wiegand. Publication: Rhodora 12: 89 1910 Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Wilson K.L.

Place of publication: Sp. pl. 1:326. 1753

Name verified on 21-Sep-2000 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 21-Sep-2000

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Juncus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1350 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

J. abjectus · J. abortivus · J. acicularis · J. acumiantus · J. acuminatus (Sharp-Fruit Rush) · J. acuminatus debilis · J. acuminatus f. sphaerocephalus · J. acuminatus legitimus · J. acuminatus robustus · J. acuminatus var. paradoxus · J. acuminatus var. sensu · J. acutangulus · J. acutiflorus (Sharp-Flower Rush) · J. acutiflorus acutiflorus (Sharpflower Rush) · J. acutiflorus rugosus · J. acutiflorus × articulatus · J. acuto-maritimus · J. acutus (Sharp Rush) · J. acutus acutus (Spiny Rush) · J. acutus f. xanthosus (Spiny-Rush) · J. acutus leopoldii (Spiny Rush) · J. acutus littoralis · J. acutus sphaerocarpus · J. acutus subsp. leopoldii · J. adscendens · J. aemulans (Common Rush) · J. affinis · J. agrostophyllus · J. alatus · J. albescens · J. albicans · J. albidus · J. albus · J. aletaiensis · J. alexandri · J. alexandri alexandri · J. alexandri melanobasis · J. alexandri subsp. melanobasis · J. allioides · J. alpestris · J. alpiarticulatus · J. alpigenus · J. alpiniformis (Alpine Rush) · J. alpino · J. alpino-articulatus · J. alpinoarticulatus (Northern Green Rush) · J. alpinoarticulatus alpestris · J. alpinoarticulatus alpinoarticulatus · J. alpinoarticulatus americanus · J. alpinoarticulatus fischeranus · J. alpinoarticulatus fischerianus · J. alpinoarticulatus fuscencens · J. alpinoarticulatus fuscescens · J. alpinoarticulatus nodulosus (Alpine Rush) · J. alpinoarticulatus rariflorus · J. alpinoarticulatus subsp. alpestris · J. alpinoarticulatus subsp. americanus · J. alpinoarticulatus subsp. fischeranus · J. alpinoarticulatus subsp. fuscencens · J. alpinoarticulatus subsp. fuscescens · J. alpinoarticulatus var. macrocephalus (Northern Green Rush) · J. alpinus · J. alpinus alpinus · J. alpinus and · J. alpinus australis · J. alpinus f. obtusatus · J. alpinus fuscescens · J. alpinus insignis · J. alpinus nodulosus · J. alpinus subsp. turczaninovii · J. alpinus turczaninovii · J. alpinus var. americana · J. altus · J. amabilis · J. ambiguus (Seasice Rush) · J. ambiguus turkestanicus · J. ambiguus var. ossoraicus (Rush) · J. amplifolius · J. amuricus · J. anatolicus · J. anceps · J. andersonii · J. andicola · J. andicolus · J. angustifolius · J. annuus · J. anonymus · J. antarcticus · J. anthelatus (Greater Poverty Rush) · J. aquarrosus · J. aquaticus · J. arabicus · J. arcticus (Arctic Rush) · J. arcticus alaskanus · J. arcticus arcticus (Arctic Rush) · J. arcticus balticus · J. arcticus grubovii · J. arcticus littoralis (Arctic Rush) · J. arcticus mexicanus · J. arcticus pyrenaeus

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 19, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Guofang Wu & Steven E. Clemants "Juncaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 44. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Ralph E. Brooks, Steven E. Clemants "Juncus". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. "Juncus effusus". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  4. Mean = 129.720 meters (425.591 feet), Standard Deviation = 227.640 based on 20,000 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/1/2009