JOINTED RUSH

Juncus articulatus

Rushes Family [Juncaceae]

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

At up to 0.8m tall (but usually much shorter) it is shorter than the similar up to 1.1m tall Sharp-flowered Rush.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

Grows in dampish grassland usually on acidic soils.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

It is multiply branched, with brown (here nearly black) tepals and fruits. Bract reaches up to the flowers, but not above.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

Each flower has six pointed tepals (rather than petals) surrounding a central brown fruit.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

The six tepals (three inner, three outer) are blackening brown and taper to a point (centre, far right) and surround the growing fruits which are also blackening from brown and taper abruptly to concave point.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

The fruits are tipped with the remains of withered stamens which once split into three at the end like a propeller (not shown).

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

Close-up of spikelets.

2nd Aug 2009, Pendleton, Greater M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

Close-up of spikelets, stamens on ends of fruits withered.

Hybridises with :

Sharp-flowered Rush (Juncus acutiflorus) to form (Juncus × surrejanus)
Alpine Rush (Juncus alpinoarticulatus) to form (Juncus × alpiniformis)

Many similarities to : Sharp-flowered Rush (Juncus acutiflorus), with which it also hybridizes.

Some similarities to : Blunt-flowered Rush (Juncus subnodulosus) No relation to : Flowering-Rush [a plant with similar name belonging to a totally different family].

Distribution
family8Rushes family8Juncaceae

BSBI maps

Juncus
(Rushes)