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Species
Juncus tenuis var. williamsii Fern.
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Plants perennial, tufted. Stems 10--40 cm ( 0.6--1.2 mm, rigid to weak. Leaves basal; leaf sheath auricles obtuse, 2--4 mm, margin scarious to broadly so; leaf blade flat, 4--23 cm ( 0.5--1.8 mm, margin often involute. Inflorescences terminal panicles, 3--7 cm, usually lax, 6--40-flowered, rarely flowers in a few clusters; involucral bracts 2, leaflike, 4--18 cm. Bracteoles 2. Perianth segments greenish, lanceolate, 3.5--4 ( ca. 1 mm, subequal or outer ones somewhat longer than inner, margin white scarious, apex long tapered to a sharp point. Stamens 6; filaments ca. 1.2 mm; anthers ca. 0.8 mm. Style shorter than ovary; stigmas ca. 1.6 mm. Capsule trigonous ovoid, shorter than to rarely equaling perianth, apex truncate and shortly mucronate to obtuse. Seeds reddish brown, 0.4--0.5 mm, appendaged; appendage white, short. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug--Sep. 2 n = 30, 32, 84.
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Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=222000181 |
Juncus tenuis occurs throughout North America. It is particularly abundant in northeastern United States and eastern Canada, although infrequent in the south and west.
Through the use of isozyme electrophoresis, hybridization can be demonstrated between various members of the Juncus tenuis complex, including Juncus tenuis, J. anthelatus, J. interior, J. secundus, and J. dichotomus (R. E. Brooks, unpubl.). Juncus ××oronensis is thought to be a hybrid between J. tenuis and J. vaseyi in the northeast.
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Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=222000181 |
The Path Rush is one of the more common Juncus spp., but it is rather small in size and inconspicuous. Many different forms of the Path Rush have been described that freely intergrade. Other similar rushes include Juncus interior (Inland Rush) and Juncus dudleyi (Dudley's Rush), although these latter two species are usually larger in size. These rushes can be distinguished by examining the apex of their basal sheaths. The Path Rush has an auriculate sheath with a pair of lanceolate extensions that are membranous and fragile. The sheath of the Inland Rush has a pair of short auricles that are soft and rounded, while the sheath of Dudley's Rush has a pair of short auricles that are hard (cartilaginous) and rounded.
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Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/path_rush.htm |
Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure
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Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Juncus+tenuis |
This native perennial rush is typically 4-12" tall. It is often densely tufted with erect to ascending stems that are light to medium green, slender, glabrous, and unbranched. The leaves of each stem are basal or nearly so. The narrow leaf blades are about 1 mm. across and up to 10" long; they are ascending or curve gently away from the stems. The leaf blades are medium green, glabrous, and flat to slightly involute (with margins that roll upward). The sheaths of young leaves are light green with membranous upper margins; later they become tan to brown and often somewhat shredded. At its apex, each sheath has a pair of soft membranous auricles (ear-like extensions) that are lanceolate in shape. Each fertile stem terminates in a branching inflorescence at its apex that is about ½3" across; this inflorescence has one or more umbel-like clusters of chaffy flowers. There are usually fewer than 10 flowers per cluster. At the base of this inflorescence, there are about 3 slender leafy bracts up to 4" long that form a V-shape; the larger bracts extend beyond the inflorescence. Each flower has 3 scaly petals, 3 scaly petals, several stamens, and a superior ovary (later a seed capsule). The petals and sepals are nearly identical in appearance; they are about 3-5 mm. long and lanceolate in shape. Young petals and sepals are light green (sometimes with reddish tips), but they later become tan; as the flower matures, they spread slightly away from the ovary/capsule. At the base of each flower, there are tiny bractlets; they are ovate to lanceolate in shape. The blooming period usually occurs during the summer; however, 1st year plants may bloom later during the fall. The flowers are wind-pollinated. The seed capsule of each flower is ovoid with a small point at its apex; it is either the same length as the persistent sepals and petals, or a little shorter than them. Each capsule eventually splits apart into 3 segments to release its tiny dust-like seeds. The seeds are less than 0.5 mm. long, ovoid or ellipsoid, and somewhat flattened; each seed tapers to a tiny point at each end. The root system is fibrous.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/path_rush.htm |
Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Juncus+tenuis |
Path Rush occurs in every county of Illinois and it is very common (see Distribution Map). Habitats include open woodlands, gravelly seeps, foot paths with compacted soil (where it is especially common), pastures and abandoned fields, gravelly margins of roadways, and barren waste areas. This weedy species prefers disturbed habitats. It has spread from North America to other continents, including Eurasia and Australia. Faunal Associations
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Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/path_rush.htm |
Typical growing conditions include full sun to light shade, wet to mesic levels of moisture, and a heavy clay-loam, clay, or gravelly soil. This rush withstands considerable trampling in paths and compacted soil. It is more tolerant of drought than many other rushes.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/path_rush.htm |
Canada
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Juncus+tenuis |
Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangxi, Shandong, Taiwan, Zhejiang [India, Japan, Korea; Europe, North America].
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=222000181 |