Juncus heldreichianus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Juncaceae
Genus: Juncus
Species:
J. heldreichianus
Binomial name
Juncus heldreichianus
T.Marsson ex Parl.[1]
ssp. heldreichianus from Antalya showing size, solitary form and arching lower parts
Elongated inflorescence of ssp. heldreichianus
Pale-winged inner 3 tepals (ssp. heldreichianus)
Blunt-edged/tipped fruit (ssp. heldreichianus)
Small seeds (ssp. heldreichianus)
Large terminal bracts (ssp. heldreichianus)
Pointed tips (ssp. heldreichianus)
Unbroken pith (ssp. heldreichianus)

Juncus heldreichianus is a large tufted species of rush in the family Juncaceae, formed of two subspecies.

Description

A large, densely-stemmed rush, forming individualised (poorly-creeping) plants; ssp heldreichianus attains 100–150 cm with rather arching stems, ssp orientalis reaches 70 cm.

Inflorescences for ssp. heldreichianus are usually long and narrow, appearing stretched-out, with well-spaced lax floral heads (therefore resembling J. maritimus, which however usually forms creeping patches), whilst for ssp. orientalis the inflorescence is composed of a closer spray of well-separated heads of flowers.

The individual flowers have 6 tepals typical of the genus Juncus, but with the inner 3 with broad pale margins, notched at the top, the flowers having an over all light brown colour (J. littoralis being dark brown).

The mature fruit capsules are up to 4 mm (J. acutus 4–6 mm) with blunt seams converging as a blunt tip (J. littoralis having sharp seams converging to a sharp pyramidal tip).

Seeds are small (0.8-0.9 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm with appendages) compared to J. littoralis (0.8-1.1 mm long, 1.5-2.0 with appendages).[2][3]

Range

Species - Albania, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Iran, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan.[1]

subsp. heldreichianus - Albania, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Kriti, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe.[4]

subsp. orientalis - Iran, Lebanon-Syria, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Turkmenistan.[5]

Habitat

ssp heldreichianus - Sand dunes, sandy places, salt and freshwater marshes, along streams, from sea level to 1700 m.[2]

ssp orientalis - Permanently or seasonally wet places, slightly to strongly saline habitats, known from sites between 800 and 1700 m.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Plants of the World Online (with map) (species)
  2. 1 2 3 Species Plantarum / Flora of the World / Part 7. Juncaceae 2: Juncus subg. Juncus, 2002, compiled by Jan Kirschner
  3. ↑ Davis. Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, vol. 9.
  4. ↑ Plants of the World Online (with map) (ssp. heldreichianus)
  5. ↑ Plants of the World Online (with map) (ssp. orientalis)
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