''Juncus rigidus'' is a species of

rush Rush(es) may refer to: Places United States * Rush, Colorado * Rush, Kentucky * Rush, New York * Rush City, Minnesota * Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois * Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream * Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...

known by the common name sea rush. It is native to much of Africa and parts of western Asia. It is found inland and by the sea in sandy saline habitats.

Distribution and habitat

''Juncus rigidus'' is native to much of Africa, Mediterranean Europe, the Arabian Peninsula and western Asia, as far east as Pakistan. It grows in sandy, saline areas on the coast and inland, in deserts and in steppes. Its typical habitat is on the fringes of salt marshes, around pools, in seasonally wet depressions and near wells.

Ecology

In Egypt, ''Juncus rigidus'' grows in association with other salt-tolerant plants such as ''

Halocnemum strobilaceum ''Halocnemum strobilaceum'' is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Salicornioideae of the family Amaranthaceae. It is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and parts of the Middle East and central Asia, wher ...

'',

golden samphire The golden samphire (''Limbarda crithmoides'') is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt marsh or sea cliffs across western and southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Golden samphire has a tufted habit, and the plant may ...

(''Limbarda crithmoides''), ''

Arthrocnemum macrostachyum ''Arthrocaulon macrostachyum'', synonym ''Arthrocnemum macrostachyum'', is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is native to coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and parts of the Middle East, where it grows i ...

'', shrubby seablight (''Suaeda vera'') and sea purslane (''Halimione portulacoides'').

Uses

In Ancient Egypt, ''Juncus rigidus'' was used to make pens for writing on

papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, '' Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'') can also refer to a ...

. The rush has also been used for weaving mats and the fibre can be used in paper manufacture. The seeds are high in amino acids, proteins, oils and carbohydrates and might be of use in the chemical industry. It has been suggested that this plant, along with its close relative the '' sharp-pointed rush'' (''Juncus acutus''), might be grown on saline land as an alternative crop with agro-industrial potential. It can be used for the cellulose production from field grown plants ingh et al 2019and in vitro culture yas et al 2021

References

rigidus Plants described in 1798 Flora of Africa Flora of Western Asia {{Poales-stub