Juncaceae - rush family
[information to be added]
Maine is home to 35 species in 2 genera (hybrids excluded). If you know which species you have or are interested in learning about, click on the appropriate link from the species list below. Otherwise, to determine which genus your member of the rush family belongs to, refer to the table below the species list.
Juncus (36 species)
Juncus acuminatus - sharp-fruited rush
Juncus alpinoarticulatus var. americanus - northern green rush
Juncus ambiguus - seaside toad rush
Juncus anthelatus - Wiegand’s rush
Juncus articulatus - joint-leaved rush
Juncus balticus ssp. littoralis - Baltic rush
Juncus brachycephalus - small-headed rush
Juncus brevicaudatus - short-tailed rush
Juncus bufonius - toad rush
Juncus canadensis - Canada rush
Juncus compressus - round-fruited rush
Juncus dichotomus - forked rush
Juncus dudleyi - Dudley’s rush
Juncus effusus - common soft rush
Juncus filiformis - thread rush
Juncus gerardii - saltmarsh rush
Juncus greenei - Greene’s rush
Juncus marginatus - grass-leaved rush
Juncus militaris - bayonet rush
Juncus nodosus - knotted rush
Juncus pelocarpus - brown-fruited rush
Juncus pylaei - Pylae’s rush
Juncus secundus - lopsided rush
Juncus stygius ssp. americanus - moor rush
Juncus subtilis - greater creeping rush
Juncus tenuis - path rush
Juncus torreyi - Torrey’s rush
Juncus trifidus - highland rush
Juncus vaseyi - Vasey’s rush
Luzula (6 species)
Luzula acuminata - hairy wood rush
Luzula confusa - northern wood rush
Luzula luzuloides ssp. luzuloides - oak-forest wood rush
Luzula multiflora - common wood rush
Luzula parviflora ssp. melanocarpa - small-flowered wood rush
Luzula spicata - spiked wood rush
| pubescence | leaf sheaths | seeds per capsule | |
| Juncus | glabrous | open | many |
| Luzula | white hairs present | closed | three |
Juncus (rush)
[information to be added]
| red font = character state unique or nearly so | character 1 | character 2 | character 3 |
| J. acuminatus | |||
| J. alpinoarticulatus ssp. americanus | |||
| J. ambiguus | |||
| J. anthelatus | |||
| J. articulates | |||
| J. balticus ssp. littoralis | |||
| J. brachycephalus | |||
| J. brevicaudatus | |||
| J. bufonius | |||
| J. canadensis | |||
| J. compressus | |||
| J. dichotomous | |||
| J. dudleyi | |||
| J. effusus | |||
| J. filiformis | |||
| J. gerardii | |||
| J. greenei | |||
| J. marginatus | |||
| J. militaries | |||
| J. nodosus | |||
| J. pelocarpus | |||
| J. pylaei | |||
| J. secundus | |||
| J. stygius ssp. americanus | |||
| J. subtilis | |||
| J. tenuis | |||
| J. torreyi | |||
| J. trifidus | |||
| J. vaseyi |
Juncus acuminatus (sharp-fruited rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus alpinoarticulatus ssp. americanus (northern green rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus ambiguus (seaside toad rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus anthelatus (Wiegand’s rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus articulatus (joint-leaved rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus balticus ssp. littoralis (Baltic rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus brachycephalus (small-headed rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus brevicaudatus (short-tailed rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus bufonius (toad rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus canadensis (Canada rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus compressus (round-fruited rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus dichotomus (forked rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus dudleyi (Dudley’s rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus effusus (common soft rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus filiformis (thread rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus gerardii (saltmarsh rush) - [information to be added]
(click on image to enlarge)
Juncus greenei (Greene’s rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus marginatus (grass-leaved rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus militaris (bayonet rush) - [information to be added]
(click on image to enlarge)
Juncus nodosus (knotted rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus pelocarpus (brown-fruited rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus pylaei (Pylae’s rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus secundus (lopsided rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus stygius ssp. americanus (moor rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus subtilis (greater creeping rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus tennis (path rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus torreyi (Torrey’s rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus trifidus (highland rush) - [information to be added]
Juncus vaseyi (Vasey’s rush) - [information to be added]
Luzula (wood rush)
[information to be added]
| red font = character state unique or nearly so | char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 |
| L. acuminata | |||
| L. confusa | |||
| L. luzuloides ssp. luzuloides | |||
| L. multiflora | |||
| L. parviflora ssp. melanocarpa | |||
| L. spicata |
Luzula acuminata (hairy wood rush) - [information to be added]
(click on image to enlarge)
Luzula confusa (northern wood rush) - [information to be added]
Luzula luzuloidea ssp. luzuloides (oak-forest wood rush) - [information to be added]
Luzula multiflora (common wood rush) - [information to be added]
Luzula parviflora ssp. melanocarpa (small-flowered wood rush) - [information to be added]
Luzula spicata (spiked wood rush) - [information to be added]
Note:
1. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Flora Novae Angliae by Arthur Haines (2011, Yale University Press, ISBN 978-0-300-17154-9).