FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:
Identification of Juncus to species requires examination of mature seeds and fruits. All Juncus have 6 sepal-like structures surrounding each fruit.
Synonym(s): Juncus setaceus
Description: Grass-like rush, forming dense clumps. Seedheads not terminal and with few round capsules. Upright, hollow, smooth, needle-like stems. Grows up to 0.5 m tall.
Leaves: Non-septate leaves (no internal divisions). Flowering stalks cylindrical and smooth.
Flowers/Fruit: Few fruited, comparatively large rounded capsules. Non-terminal inflorescences well below stem tip. Inflorescence is panicle of numerous small flowers on stalks. Flowers and fruits June to September.
Habit and Range: Forms large clumps. Very shade-tolerant and found in swamp forests, wet marshes, pocosin edges, ditches. Found statewide but more common in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont than the Mountains.
COMMON CONFUSIONS:
Juncus coriaceus (leathery rush) can be confused with J. effusus (common rush) which has smaller capsules. J. coriaceus is also similar to J. dichotomus (forked rush) which has seed capsules with sepals extending beyond the capsule.
Click here to view Juncus effusus.
Click here to view Juncus dichotomus.
Link to side-by-side comparisons page
