Juncus inflexusL. Hard Rush

Juncus inflexusL. - Hard Rush

Scientific Description:

Perennial, densely or rarely laxly caespitose. Stems 50–120 cm, basal sheaths usually dark reddish-brown. Stems and leaves with 10–20 strong ridges; pith interrupted. Lowest bract long, inflorescence pseudo-lateral, lax or rarely contracted, many-flowered. Perianth segments narrowly ovate, 2.5–4 mm, acuminate, outer ones longer. Stamens c. 1/2 × perianth; anthers 0.8–1 mm, 1–1.5 × filaments. Capsule exceeding or rarely equalling perianth, ovoid-trigonous to ellipsoid, acute to obtuse, mucronate. Seeds c. 0.5 mm, without appendages.

Flowering time: April–August.

Habitat: Ferns, wet grassland, shores, open damp places, s. l–2600 m.

Reference:

Snogerup S (1985). Juncus inflexus L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 9: 9.

Public Description:

Juncus inflexus, known as “hard rush” or “European meadow rush”, is distributed in Europe, from Sweden south and east to North Africa, the Himalayas and Mongolia. It is a perennial herb with tiny yellow-green flowers, up to 120 cm in length. It blooms between April and August and is found in wet grassland, shores and open damp places. It is characterized by thin, more or less flattened, or round and containing spongy pith nude leaves. It grows in clusters and bear inflorescences near the tips. It has been reported that this plant is toxic to mammals. When the plant is consumed, it causes irritation of the stomach and diarrhoea, followed by nervousness and progressive blindness; the animal may die of cerebral haemorrhage..

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Juncus+inflexus /, Accessed date: 14.02.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juncus/, Accessed date: 14.02.2016.

Güner A (2012). Juncus L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 542–545.