Juncus dichotomus

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Juncus dichotomus
The plants of southern New Jersey; with especial reference to the flora of the pine barrens and the geographic distribution of the species (1911) (14782102864).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Juncaceae
Genus: Juncus
Species:
J. dichotomus
Binomial name
Juncus dichotomus
Synonyms [2]
  • Juncus albicansFernald
  • Juncus cognatusKunth
  • Juncus platyphyllus(Wiegand) Fernald

Juncus dichotomus (commonly known as forked rush) [3] is a monocot in the Juncaceae family of rushes. The plant is native to the Americas in temperate zones but has been introduced to other parts of the world. Juncus dichotomus often is found in very moist areas and where rainfall is a common occurrence. It is often most recognizable in the spring and summer months due to its conspicuous flowers and infructescence.

Contents

The species can be difficult to identify and is often confused with other Juncus species due to morphological similarity. [4] Often Juncus dichotomus is overlooked because it is inconspicuous in the field. It is sometimes considered a weed.

Description

Juncus dichotomus is a graminoid, i.e., a grass-like plant. [5] It belongs to the monocot group in which it is a member of a Juncaceae family, otherwise known as the rushes. [5] This species of rush is not tall and lacks many distinctive features, making it especially hard to identify by non-specialists. In North America, Juncus dichotomus is most frequently observed in July through August. It can be found in dry sites, but it thrives best in damp soils, such as roadside ditches where runoff is frequent. [4] [6]

Habitat and distribution

Juncus dichotomus is native and distributed widely in the Americas in temperate zones but has been reported as introduced in other temperate climate zones around the world. The species is common throughout the southeastern United States, and in some northeastern regions. [5]

Juncus dichotomus is a more specialized species, found in temporarily wet habitats: riverbanks, pond margins, depressions in heaths, sometimes near rice fields. [7] It usually grows in sandy soils, [4] or any habitat that holds sufficient groundwater with stable temperate temperatures. [5] [8]

Flowering and fruiting occur in late spring–summer in ditches, shores, clearings, and other typically open areas, usually in sandy, well-drained (but frequently wet) soil. [8]

Taxonomy

Juncus dichotomus is a perennial herb, with stems (10–)15–40 cm tall and usually reddish at the base. [4] Its rhizomes are densely branched to short-creeping. It has 2–3 basal or sub-basal leaves which are nearly terete, channeled or flat, 10–25(–40) cm long and about 0.7 mm wide; its auricles are very short, 0.2–0.5 mm in length, with a scarious to leathery texture and white to faint purple color. [4] Its inflorescences are terminal with (5–)10–85(–100) flowers, which are often congested but more rarely somewhat loose. Flowers are bracteoles with green tepals. Capsules are tan to brown, and are ellipsoid to wide in shape. Seeds are brownish to amber, ellipsoid to lunate in shape, about 0.3–0.4 mm in size. [9] [1]

Uses

The uses for Juncus dichotomus are limited. Since the plant is often found near water sources, it can play a role in preventing erosion.

Management

It is clear that Juncus dichotomus has increased its range substantially due to human aided dispersal. However, the biogeographic history of the species is somewhat unclear due in part to its similarities with other graminoid species. [4]

Juncus dichotomus, a native of the Americas, is also now being reported as invasive in Europe. [4] Juncus dichotomous has been confused with Juncus tenuis, a related plant widespread in Europe which may have contributed to its spread there. [7] Management of this species as an invasive in Europe is unclear, although water regime is important and may be manipulated to control the plant, in addition to herbicides.

Systemic rusts and smuts have a major effect on individual plants and populations, as these fungi affect growth and survival; diseased plants may become distorted, stunted, or elongated, although the results are variable. [10] More work on the life history of J. dichotomus is required to better understand how it responds to disease and other abiotic factors. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juncaceae</span> Family of flowering plants commonly known as rushes

Juncaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the rush family. It consists of 8 genera and about 464 known species of slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous monocotyledonous plants that may superficially resemble grasses and sedges. They often grow on infertile soils in a wide range of moisture conditions. The best-known and largest genus is Juncus. Most of the Juncus species grow exclusively in wetland habitats. A few rushes, such as Juncus bufonius are annuals, but most are perennials.

<i>Juncus effusus</i> Species of flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae

Juncus effususis a perennial herbaceous flowering plant species in the rush family Juncaceae, with the common names common rush or soft rush. In North America, the common name soft rush also refers to Juncus interior.

<i>Juncus tenuis</i> Species of grass

Juncus tenuis, the slender rush, is a clump-forming, round-stemmed perennial in the Juncaceae. Slender rush grows to be between 15 and 60 cm tall. Generally considered a weed, it is rarely sold by retailers as a household container plant. Where it is introduced, it is colloquially called path rush, field rush, slender yard rush, poverty rush or wiregrass.

<i>Juncus bufonius</i> Species of grass

Juncus bufonius, known commonly as toad rush, is a widespread flowering plant species complex in the rush family Juncaceae.

<i>Juncus acutus</i> Species of grass

Juncus acutus, the spiny rush, sharp rush or sharp-pointed rush, is a flowering plant in the monocot family Juncaceae. It is native to the Americas, Northern and Southern Africa, Western and Southern Europe and West Asia, and is found in a variety of wet habitats, such as bogs, fens, meadows, and salt marshes, and along the edges of ponds and lakes.

<i>Juncus articulatus</i> Species of grass

Juncus articulatus is a flowering plant species in the rush family Juncaceae. It is known by the common name jointleaf rush or jointed rush, which can also refer to J. kraussii from Australia. It is native to Eurasia, Canada, Greenland, and much of the United States. It grows in moist areas, such as wet sand, and thrives in calcareous soils. J. articulatus was found to be more sensitive to drought and salt stress than its congeners J. acutus and J. maritimus. It is a perennial herb producing mainly erect stems from a short rhizome. The stem may root at nodes, and it generally has one or more flattened hollow cylindrical leaves up to 10 centimeters long. Transverse internal partitions or joints may be seen or felt in the leaf of the plant.

<i>Juncus patens</i> Species of rush

Juncus patens is a species of rush, known by the common names spreading rush and California grey rush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graminoid</span> Herbaceous plant with grassy morphology

In botany and ecology, graminoid refers to a herbaceous plant with a grass-like morphology, i.e. elongated culms with long, blade-like leaves. They are contrasted to forbs, herbaceous plants without grass-like features.

<i>Juncus kraussii</i> Species of grass

Juncus kraussii commonly known as salt marsh rush, sea rush, jointed rush, matting rush or dune slack rush, is of the monocot family Juncaceae and genus Juncus. It grows in salt marshes, estuarine and coastal areas.

<i>Luzula multiflora</i> Species of flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae

Luzula multiflora, the common woodrush or heath wood-rush, is a species of flowering plant in the rush family.

<i>Juncus acutiflorus</i> Species of grass

Juncus acutiflorus, also called sharp-flowered rush, is a rush or a grassy plant of the genus Juncus. As the name suggests, the plant has notable sharp-looking flowers, flowering between July and September.

<i>Juncus pallidus</i> Species of plant

Juncus pallidus, commonly known as the great soft-rushpale rush, giant rush, or leafless rush is a species of rush that is native to southern Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and Lord Howe Island. It is a vigorous, tufted, tussock-forming, rhizomatous perennial herb with culms growing to 70–135 cm in height. The inflorescence, which is 25–185 mm long, contains many straw coloured flowers, each with six floral segments. It is usually found in moist, nutrient-poor soils subject to periodic flooding, such as fresh and brackish waterways, including swamps, creek banks, lake edges and sand seeps.

<i>Juncus planifolius</i> Species of plant

Juncus planifolius is a species of rush, commonly known as broadleaf rush, broad-leaved rush, or grass-leaved rush. It naturally occurs in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and South America.

Luzula wahlenbergii, commonly known as Wahlenberg's woodrush or reindeer wood-rush, is a perennial species of plant in the genus Luzula of the (rush) family Juncaceae.

Juncus ingens, common name giant rush, is a dioecious perennial with horizontal or ascending rhizomes. The stems are erect, dull green, (1.5–2–5 m tall and 4–10 mm in diameter, cataphylls are to 40 cm or more long. The inflorescence is large and drooping, with many flowers scattered along fine branchlets. Flowers occur mostly October-January, seeds are shed mostly December-April. Juncus ingens was first described by Norman Wakefield in 1957. It is one of only two known dioecious species of Juncus native to Australia, the other being Juncus psammophilus.

<i>Juncus compressus</i> Species of rush

Juncus compressus is a species of flowering plant in the rush family, Juncaceae. It is native to temperate Eurasia.Juncus compressus is easy to confuse with J. gerardii.

<i>Juncus scirpoides</i> Species of plant in the genus Juncus

Juncus scirpoides, the needlepod rush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Juncaceae, native to the central and eastern United States. It prefers wet sandy soils, and among the many places it grows it is common in the enigmatic Carolina bays.

<i>Juncus validus</i> Species of plant in the genus Juncus

Juncus validus, the roundhead rush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Juncaceae, native to the central and southeastern United States. It is a somewhat weedy species, found along wet roadsides and in ditches.

<i>Juncus prismatocarpus</i> Species of rush

Juncus prismatocarpus, the branching rush, is a tufted, perennial species of flowering plant in the rush family, Juncaceae. Found in moist situations, often on sandy ground. Grass-like leaves are 10 to 40 cm long, 1.3 to 3.0 mm in diameter. Growing in many parts of Australia, New Zealand and south east Asia. The specific epithet is derived from Latin, meaning prism shaped fruit.

References

  1. 1 2 "IPNI Plant Name Query Results". ipni.org.
  2. ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species , retrieved 8 December 2016
  3. ↑ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Juncus dichotomus". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Verloove, Filip (1 December 2010). "Juncus dichotomus (Juncaceae) in northwestern Italy, a xenophyte new to Europe". Willdenowia. 40 (2): 173–178. doi: 10.3372/wi.40.40202 . S2CID   85140553.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Plants Profile for Juncus dichotomus (forked rush)". plants.usda.gov.
  6. ↑ Dowhan, Joseph J.; Rozsa, Ron (July 1989). "Flora of Fire Island, Suffolk County, New York". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 116 (3): 265. doi:10.2307/2996816. JSTOR   2996816.
  7. 1 2 Verloove, Filip (1 January 2010). "Invaders in disguise. Conservation risks derived from misidentification of invasive plants". Management of Biological Invasions. 1 (1): 1–5. doi: 10.3391/mbi.2010.1.1.02 . ISSN   1989-8649.
  8. 1 2 "SERNEC - Juncus dichotomus". sernecportal.org.
  9. ↑ "Taxon Page". www.efloras.org.
  10. 1 2 Wennström, Anders (1999). "The effect of systemic rusts and smuts on clonal plants in natural systems". Plant Ecology. 141: 93–97. doi:10.1023/A:1009831202875. S2CID   46682944.
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