| Juncus phaeocephalus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Juncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Juncaceae |
| Genus: | Juncus |
| Species: | J. phaeocephalus |
| Binomial name | |
| Juncus phaeocephalus | |
Juncus phaeocephalus, the brown-headed rush, is native mostly along the coast of California, north to Oregon and Washington. [1] It grows in moist seeps and shallow wet soil.
Juncus phaeocephalus is native to the coastlines of California. It is distributed in meadows and borders of swamps and coastal regions from Los Angeles County and Mendocino County to Oregon and Washington. [2]
Juncus phaeocephalus grows along the coast in sand dunes, marshes and sloughs. Some of them also grow inland in wet grassy meadows, bogs, and along lakes and streams, such as in the Peninsular Ranges and Transverse Ranges of Southern California. [3] [4] Its creeping rhizomes can spread across moist soil. This perennial plant can grow in elevations less than 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) high.
Juncus phaeocephalus is a grasslike perennial with stout, creeping rhizomes. It has flattened stems that are two-edged and can grow up to 1.5 feet (0.46 m) tall. Its leaves are shorter than its flowering stems. Flowers have a brownish color and appear in spherical clusters at the tops of the flowering stems. Brown-head Rush may be mistaken for sedges or irises because of its stems and leaves. [5] This plant produces many seeds. These ovoid seeds are about 0.6 mm in size. [6]
Juncus phaeocephalus is a variable species in which several subspecific varieties have been characterized mainly on its branching patterns of the inflorescences.
Named varieties include: [7]
According to the tests made on the plants at the Chemistry Laboratory of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Juncus phaeocephalus has as much as 30 ppm of hydrocyanic acid present in the plants. Due to its volatile nature, the concentration of this chemical might have been greater before the actual testing was made.
One actual case of hydrocyanic acid poisoning from a common rush occurred in California. In December 1958, two dairy heifers were found dead on a farm land near Petaluma, Sonoma County. The heifers died due to consumption of Juncus phaeocephalus plants. [8] Juncus phaeocephalus grows in plant communities with Verbena spp., Mimulus guttatus , Eleocharis macrostachya and Agrostis densiflora . [9]
Eriophyllum lanatum, with the common names common woolly sunflower and Oregon sunshine, is a common, widespread, North American plant in the sunflower family.
Juncus effusus, with the common names common rush or soft rush, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant species in the rush family Juncaceae. In North America, the common name soft rush also refers to Juncus interior.
Symphoricarpos mollis, with the common names creeping snowberry, Southern California snowberry, and trip vine, is a shrub in the Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae). It is found in western North America from British Columbia to California inland to Nevada and Idaho.
Juncus bufonius, known commonly as toad rush, is a widespread flowering plant species complex in the rush family Juncaceae.
Eriophyllum confertiflorum, commonly called golden yarrow or yellow yarrow, is a North American species of plant in the sunflower family, native to California and Baja California. It has wooly leaves when young, and yellow flower heads. "Eriophyllum" means "wooly leaved."
Galium multiflorum is a species of flowering plant in the coffee family known by the common names Kellogg's bedstraw, shrubby bedstraw, and many-flowered bedstraw.
Isocoma acradenia is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name alkali goldenbush.
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.
Juncus patens is a species of rush, known by the common names spreading rush and California grey rush.
Juncus dubius is a species of rush known by the common name wrinkled rush. It is endemic to California, in the California Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, and southern Sierra Nevada. It is a common member of the flora in many wet areas, such as marshes and riverbanks.
Juncus textilis is a species of rush known by the common name basket rush. It is endemic to California, where it grows along the coast and in the coastal mountain ranges of the southern half of the state.
Juncus xiphioides is a species of rush known by the common name irisleaf rush.
Agoseris apargioides is a species in the sunflower family, is commonly called seaside agoseris or seaside false-dandelion. It is native to the Pacific coast of the United States from Washington to central California, where it grows primarily on coastal dunes.
Agoseris grandiflora is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common names California dandelion, bigflower agoseris, and grassland agoseris.
Calochortus palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the lily family known by the common names Palmer's mariposa lily and strangling mariposa.
Chaenactis glabriuscula, with the common name Yellow pincushion, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family. It is native to California and Baja California.
Ribes inerme is a species of currant known by the common names whitestem gooseberry and white stemmed gooseberry. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California and westward to the Rocky Mountains. It grows in mountain forests, woodlands, and meadows.
Ribes lasianthum is a species of currant known by the common names alpine gooseberry and woolly-flowered gooseberry. It is native to California, where it can be found in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, its distribution extending just into Nevada.
Rudbeckia californica is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, known by the common name California coneflower.
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.
A Manual of the Flowering Plants of California.