Juncus acutus explained

Juncus acutus, the spiny rush, sharp rush or sharp-pointed rush, is a flowering plant in the monocot family Juncaceae. It is native to the Americas, Northern and Southern Africa, Western and Southern Europe and West Asia, and is found in a variety of wet habitats, such as bogs, fens, meadows, and salt marshes,[1] and along the edges of ponds and lakes.[2] [3]

The sharp-pointed rush is a perennial plant that grows to a height of about 60 to 100 centimeters (24 to 39 inches). It has slender, cylindrical stems with narrow, pointed leaves and clusters of small, light brown flowers that bloom in the summer.

This species is important for a variety of reasons. It provides habitat and food for a range of wetland animals, including insects, birds, and mammals. It is also an important component of wetland ecosystems, helping to prevent soil erosion and maintain water quality. In some countries like Australia it is considered to be an invasive weed[4] and the spines harmful to young children.[5]

In addition, sharp-pointed rush has been used for a variety of purposes, including as a source of fiber for making paper, baskets, and other woven products, and for medicinal purposes. The plant has also been used for landscaping and erosion control,[6] as well as for ornamental purposes in gardens and wildflower meadows.

Despite its ecological and cultural significance, Juncus acutus is considered to be of least concern in terms of conservation, as it is widely distributed and not currently threatened by habitat loss or other factors. However, continued conservation efforts are necessary to protect this species and its habitat and ensure its long-term survival.

Synonyms

Description

Juncus acutus is a brown and green[10] tussock-forming[5] perennial that can grow to 1.5m (04.9feet)[10] tall in all kinds of soils,[11] in areas which go from extremes in flood and dry like dunes[3] or that just stay wet like lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands.[12]

Stems and leaves: Pith 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.[5]
  • Flowers: The flower stems are 2mm to 4mm in diameter and 4cm (02inches) to 13cm (05inches) 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 4cm (02inches) to 25cm (10inches) long bracts that terminate in a stiff and sharp point.[5] The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by the wind.[11]
  • Fruits and reproduction: Fruits are oval 3-celled brown capsules 4mm to 6mm. The 1.2mm to 2mm long brown seeds have a tail at each end.[5]
  • Roots: Short[5] and robust rhizomes.[10]

    • Distribution

    Found principally in low-lying damp, low fertility areas[12] like sandy sea shores and dune slacks and coastal flats,[12] occasionally in salt marshes[11] and disturbed saline areas, mine dumps, lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands[12]

    Palearctic

    Northern Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco

    Western Asia: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey

    Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

    Northern Europe: British Isles

    Southeastern Europe: Albania, Crete, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro, Sardinia, Serbia, Sicily, Malta

    Southwestern Europe: Azores, Balearic Islands, Corsica, France, Portugal, Spain

    Nearctic

    Northern America: Baja California

    Community species

    In Brazil, J. acutus has been observed on the Santa Catarina coast living in communities with:

    In a natural shallow depression in the Murray River floodplain in South Australia:

    Chemistry

    The dimeric phenanthrenoid 8,8'-bidehydrojuncusol and the monomeric juncusol[13] and dehydrojuncusol can be isolated from J. acutus.[14]

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Book: Baba . A. . Groundwater and Ecosystems . Howard . K.W.F. . Orhan . G. . . 2006 . 1-4020-4736-3 . Groundwater in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Areas . https://books.google.com/books?id=1kuMICY6NCcC&pg=PT77.
    2. Web site: Juncus acutus . www.worldplants.de . World Plants: Complete Plant List . 20 March 2022.
    3. Schardosim . Alecsandro . Klein . Vanilde . Citadini-Zanette . Robson dos Santos . September 2007 . Florística e estrutura comunitária de restinga herbácea no município de Araranguá, Santa Catarina . Biotemas . pt . 20 . 3 . 15–26 . – 1643 . 2015-06-07.
    4. Book: Parsons . W. T. . Noxious Weeds of Australia . Cuthbertson . E. G. . 2001 . . 0-643-06514-8 . 712 pages . FAMILY Juncaceae . 2008-04-26 . https://books.google.com/books?id=sRCrNAQQrpwC&pg=PA81.
    5. Web site: Australia Spiny Rush . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080920202223/http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&state=&s=0&ibra=all&card=W22 . 2008-09-20 . 2008-04-20 . Weed Identification . Australian Weeds Committee, National Weeds Strategy.
    6. De Baets . S. . Poesen . J. . Knapen . A. . Barberá . G.G. . Navarro . J.A. . 2007 . Root characteristics of representative Mediterranean plant species and their erosion-reducing potential during concentrated runoff . Geophysical Research Abstracts . . 9 . 1607-7962 . 2008-04-26.
    7. Web site: PLANTS Profile, Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii . 2008-04-25 . Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) . Natural Resources Conservation Service . The PLANTS Database . .
    8. Web site: Juncus acutus L. subsp. acutus record n° 41763 . https://archive.today/20130116010450/http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/bd/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=41763 . dead . 2013-01-16 . 2008-04-25 . African Plants Database . South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica. .
    9. Web site: Juncus acutus L. record n° 160745 . https://archive.today/20130116000111/http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/bd/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=160745 . dead . 2013-01-16 . 2008-04-25 . African Plants Database . South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica .
    10. Web site: Juncus acutus L. . 2008-04-26 . Helen Coleman, FloraBase: Flora of Western Australia . Western Australian Herbarium . 2007-09-11 . Flora Descriptions . Government of Western Australia.
    11. Web site: Juncus acutus . 2008-04-25 . Species Database . Plants For A Future.
    12. Web site: Spiny Rush (Juncus acutus) (Nox) . 2008-04-25 . 2008-05-03 . Victorian Resources Online . The State of Victoria, Department of Primary Industries.
    13. Fathi Abdelmohsen Abdelhalim Behery . Zain Elabdin Metwally Naeem . Galal Taha Maatooq . Mohamed Mahmoud Abdelfattah Amer . Zhi-Hong Wen . Jyh-Horng Sheu . Atallah Fouad Ahmed . 2007 . Phenanthrenoids from Juncus acutus L., New Natural Lipopolysaccharide-Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors . Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin . 55 . 8. 1264–1266 . 10.1248/cpb.55.1264 . 17666857 . free .
    14. Behery . FA . Naeem . ZE . Maatooq . GT . Amer . MM . Ahmed . AF . 2013 . A novel antioxidant phenanthrenoid dimer from Juncus acutus L. . Nat Prod Res . 27 . 2. 155–163 . 10.1080/14786419.2012.662759 . 22360833 . 24392241 .

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