| Juncus bufonius | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Juncaceae |
| Genus: | Juncus |
| Species: | J. bufonius |
| Binomial name | |
| Juncus bufonius | |
Juncus bufonius, known commonly as toad rush, is a widespread flowering plant species complex in the rush family Juncaceae. [1] [2] [3]
Its native range is circumpolar throughout tropical, subtropical, subarctic, and temperate climate areas of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. [1] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] It is also widely distributed as an introduced species in suitable habitats worldwide. It grows in moist and muddy places, often in wetlands and riparian areas. [9]
In habitats where it is not native and has naturalized it may be considered a weed. The relationship of North America plants to the Eurasian Juncus ranarius is weakly delineated. [3]
Juncus bufonius is an annual monocot that is quite variable in appearance. It is generally a green clumping grasslike rush, with many thin stems wrapped with few threadlike leaves. [3]
The flowers are borne in inflorescences and also in the joint where the inflorescence branches off of the stem. It is a grassy flower folded within tough bracts and sepals. [3] The blooming period is March to May in the Northern Hemisphere and September to November in the Southern Hemisphere. [9]