Juncus acutus
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''Juncus acutus'', the spiny rush, sharp rush or sharp-pointed rush, is a
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the
monocot Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of ...
family
Juncaceae 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 s ...
found throughout the Americas, Northern and Southern Africa, Western and Southern Europe and West Asia. It grows in
salt marshes A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is dominated ...
and on dunes and is reliable for reducing erosion rates. In some countries like
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
it is considered to be an
invasive weed An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...
and the spines harmful to young children.


Synonyms

*''Juncus acutus'' ssp. ''leopoldii'' (Parl.) Snog. -- Leopold's rush *''Juncus acutus'' L. var. ''sphaerocarpus'' Engelm *''Juncus acutus'' L. subsp. ''acutus'' *''Juncus spinosus'' Forssk *''Juncus acutus'' ssp. ''leopoldii'' also known as ''Leopold's rush'' is a native of
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
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and
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. *''Juncus acutus'' L. var. ''conglobatus'' Trautv *''Juncus acutus'' L. var. ''decompositus'' Guss *''Juncus acutus'' L. var. ''longibracteatus'' Buchenau


Description

''Juncus acutus'' is a brown and green " tussocky"
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
that can be to tall in all kinds of soils, in areas which go from extremes in flood and dry like dunes or that just stay wet like lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands. ;Stems and leaves:
Pith Pith, or medulla, is a tissue in the stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other ...
filled stems and leaves arise from the base at different angles giving the plant a globe shape. The leaves form a basal sheath around the flower stem leaves and end with a stiff sharp point. ;Flowers: The flower stems are to in diameter and to long and are similar to the leaves. They emerge from the base at all angles and each have 1 - 6 flowers. Each flower has 6 stamens and to long bracts that terminate in a stiff and sharp point. The flowers are
hermaphrodite In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes. Many Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrate ...
and are pollinated by the wind. ;Fruits and reproduction: Fruits are oval 3-celled brown capsules to . The to long brown seeds have a tail at each end. ;Roots: Short and robust
rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
s.


Gallery

Image:Juncus acutus3.jpg , Habit Image:Juncus acutus seeds at Lake Walyungup, Rockingham Lakes Regional Park, June 2022 01.jpg, Inflorescence Image:Juncus acutus leaf tip NC2.jpg, Sharp leaf tip of Juncus acutus


Distribution

Found principally in low-lying damp, low fertility areas like sandy sea shores and dune slacks and coastal flats, occasionally in salt marshes and disturbed saline areas, mine dumps, lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands :
Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...
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Community species

:In Brazil, ''J. acutus'' has been observed on the Santa Catarina coast living in communities with: :*''
Ipomoea pes-caprae ''Ipomoea pes-caprae'', also known as bayhops, bay-hops, beach morning glory or goat's foot, is a common pantropical creeping vine belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted air. It is one ...
'' :*''
Hydrocotyle bonariensis ''Hydrocotyle bonariensis'', the largeleaf pennywort, once a member of the family Apiaceae, now in the family Araliaceae and of the genus ''Hydrocotyle'', is a hairless and creeping perennial. Description ;Flowers: This plant has numerous whit ...
'' :*''
Senecio crassiflorus ''Senecio crassiflorus'', in pt, margarida-das-dunas, one of the native South American ''Senecio'' and an herbaceous dune dwelling perennial. Description ''Senecio crassiflorus'' is not an upright herb, the silvery to white woolly to tall ...
'' :In a natural shallow depression in the
Murray River The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest r ...
floodplain in
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
: :*''
Muehlenbeckia florulenta ''Duma florulenta'' (synonym ''Muehlenbeckia florulenta''), commonly known as tangled lignum or often simply lignum, is a plant native to inland Australia. It is associated with wetland habitats, especially those in arid and semiarid regions su ...
'' :*''
Atriplex semibaccata Atriplex semibaccata, commonly known as Australian saltbush, berry saltbush, or creeping saltbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a perennial herb native to Western Australia, South ...
'' :*''
Halosarcia pergranulata ''Tecticornia pergranulata'' (commonly known as the blackseed glasswort or blackseed samphire) is a succulent halophytic plant species in the family Chenopodiaceae, native to Australia. This plant is commonly tested in labs involving its C3 phot ...
'' ssp. ''pergranulata'' :*'' Mimulus repens'' :*''
Ludwigia peploides ''Ludwigia peploides'' is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names floating primrose-willow and creeping water primrose. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America, but i ...
'' ssp. ''montevidensis'' :*''
Phragmites australis ''Phragmites australis'', known as the common reed, is a species of plant. It is a broadly distributed wetland grass that can grow up to tall. Description ''Phragmites australis'' commonly forms extensive stands (known as reed beds), which may ...
'' :*''
Paspalum vaginatum ''Paspalum vaginatum'' is a species of grass known by many names, including seashore paspalum, biscuit grass, saltwater couch, silt grass, and swamp couch.phenanthrenoid 8,8'-bidehydrojuncusol and the monomeric juncusol and dehydrojuncusol can be isolated from ''J. acutus''.


References


External links

* * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q2094325 acutus Halophytes Palearctic flora Flora of South America Flora of North America Flora of Baja California Flora of Brazil Flora of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus