Species

Juncus articulatus

Etymology

Juncus: From the Latin jungere 'to tie or bind', the stems of some species being used to make cord (Johnson and Smith)

Common Name(s)

jointed rush

Authority

Juncus articulatus L.

Family

Juncaceae

Brief Description

Sprawling leafy rush to 80 cm tall, leaves round with internal cross walls (feels like clicks if you hold base of leaf between finger and thumb and slide up), plant with branched flowerheads made up of many small clusters of 4 to 8 dark purple to black flowers/capsules (fruit).

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

JUNART

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Rushes and Allied Plants

Distribution

Widespread and common throughout.

Habitat

Margins of flowing and still water bodies, drains and wet pasture, sometimes submerged or floating.

Features

Extremely variable perennial rush, 6-60 cm tall, dark green, usually reddish-tinged, loosely or densely tufted or forming open colonies. Stems round, rarely erect, usually flatter or prostrate and rooting at nodes, occ floating. Rhizomes usually short, occ long and forming mats. Leaves mostly along the stems, 5-20 cm long, round or compressed, with distinct hollow compartments separated by partitions (joints) usually visible externally and obvious to touch. Seedhead a loose panicle, terminal, 1-15 cm long, with many branches and clusters of small dark brown flowers. Seed capsules 2-4 mm long, triangular, glossy, dark brown to black.

Similar Taxa

Similar to other tubular septate leaved rushes, but is often sprawling or ascending rather than upright, with acute-tipped dark brown to black capsules longer than the tepals.

Flowering

Summer

Flower Colours

Black,Brown

Fruiting

Autumn

Year Naturalised

1864

Origin

Eurasia, North Africa and North America

Reason for Introduction

Unknown, seed or soil contaminant.

Control Techniques

Rarely controlled, but can be controlled manually, mechanically or herbicidally depending on situation.

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seed dispersed by animals, water or contaminated machinery.

Notes on taxonomy

Subgenus Juncus, Section Ozophyllum (Septati) Kirschner (2002: Juncaceae 2)

Attribution

Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA).

References and further reading

Healy, A.J.; Edgar, E.  (1980). Flora of New Zealand, Volume III.  Adventive Cyperaceous, Petalous and Spathaceous Monocotyledons.  Government Printer, Wellington.  220pp.

Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989).  Wetland plants in New Zealand.   DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.

Johnson, A. T. and Smith, H. A (1986). Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd: Buckenhill, UK.

Champion et al (2012). Freshwater Pests of New Zealand.  NIWA publication. http://www.niwa.co.nz/freshwater-and-estuaries/management-tools/identification-guides-and-fact-sheets/freshwater-pest-species

Kirschner, J. (compiler) (2002).  Juncaceae 2: Juncus subg. Juncus, Species Plantarum:  Flora of the World Part 7: 1-336. 

Healy, A.J.  (1982). Identification of weeds and clovers.  New Zealand Weed and Pest Control Society Publication.  Editorial Services Limited, Featherston.  299pp.

This page last updated on 30 Jul 2014