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.
Luzula is a genus of flowering plants in the rush family Juncaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species occurring throughout the world, especially in temperate regions, the Arctic, and higher elevation areas in the tropics. Plants of the genus are known commonly as wood-rush, wood rush, or woodrush. Possible origins of the genus name include the Italian lucciola or the Latin luzulae or luxulae, from lux ("light"), inspired by the way the plants sparkle when wet with dew. Another etymology sometimes given is that it does derive from lucciola but that this meant a mid-summer field, or from the Latin luculus, meaning a small place; the same source also states that this name was applied by Luigi Anguillara in 1561.
Luzula campestris, commonly known as field wood-rush, Good Friday grass or sweep's brush is a flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae. It is a very common plant throughout temperate Europe extending to the Caucasus. This species of Luzula is found on all types of native grasslands, and cultivated areas such as lawns, golf-course greens and fields.
Maianthemum stellatum is a species of flowering plant, native across North America. It has been found in northern Mexico, every Canadian province and territory except Nunavut, and every US state except Hawaii and the states of the Southeast. It has little white buds in the spring, followed by delicate starry flowers, then green-and-black striped berries, and finally deep red berries in the fall.
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.
Luzula sylvatica, commonly known as greater wood-rush or great wood-rush, is a perennial flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae.
Carex luzulina is a species of sedge known by the common name woodrush sedge.
Luzula comosa is a species of flowering plant in the rush family known by the common name Pacific woodrush. It is native to western North America from Alaska to California to Colorado, where it can be found in moist spots in forests and meadows and many other types of habitat. It is a perennial herb quite variable in appearance, often forming small, narrow grasslike tufts. The erect inflorescence is tipped with a series of clustered spikelike flowers. The dark brown perianth parts open to reveal 6 stamens tipped with large anthers.
Luzula parviflora is a species of flowering plant in the rush family known by the common name small-flowered woodrush. It has a northern circumboreal distribution.
Luzula pilosa is a species of flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae with the common name hairy wood-rush. The plant is native to northern Europe and western Asia.
Luzula hitchcockii is a species of flowering plant in the rush family known by the common names smooth woodrush and Hitchcock's wood rush. It is native to western North America from British Columbia and Alberta to Oregon to Wyoming. It is sometimes treated as a variety of Luzula glabrata.
Luzula acuminata, the hairy woodrush, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the rush family, Juncaceae, that is native to the Eastern United States and Canada. It is 6–47 centimetres (2.4–18.5 in) tall with its basal leaves being of 6–39 centimetres (2.4–15.4 in) high and 2–11 millimetres (0.079–0.433 in) in diameter. It has cauline leaves are 2.5–11.5 centimetres (0.98–4.53 in) tall and 2–5 millimetres (0.079–0.197 in) wide.
Luzula nivalis, commonly known as arctic wood-rush or less commonly as snowy wood-rush, is a species of perennial rush native to the North American Arctic and Northern Europe. It was described by Polunin (1940) as one of the most abundant, ubiquitous, and ecologically important of all arctic plants.
Luzula forsteri, commonly known as southern wood-rush, is a species of perennial plant in Juncaceae family that is native to Europe, north Africa and western Asia. There is a record of it having been collected at Salem, Oregon in 1910.
Oreojuncus trifidus is a species of rush known by the common names highland rush and three-leaved rush. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere, where it is an arctic/montane species with an amphi-atlantic distribution.
Luzula luzuloides, the white wood-rush or oakforest wood-rush is a species of flowering plant in the family Juncaceae. It is native to Central Europe, from the Balkans to Fennoscandia, but it has also been introduced to the British Isles and other parts of Europe, and to the north-eastern United States and eastern Canada.
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.
Luzula piperi, commonly known as Piper's woodrush is a perennial species of plant in the genus Luzula of the (rush) family Juncaceae. Luzula piperi is native to northwestern North America and eastern Asia.
Luzula arcuata is a species of flowering plant in the rush family Juncaceae with the modern common name curved wood-rush. The plant is native to mountains of northern Europe, north-western and north-eastern Asia and north-western North America.
Juncus dichotomus 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.
