Juncus sonderianus
Synonyms
Juncus sp. aff. caespiticius, Australojuncus sonderianus (Buchenau) Záveská Drábková & Proćków
Family
Juncaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Rushes & Allied Plants
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
JUNSON
Conservation status
Not applicable
Brief description
Leafy rush to 35 cm tall, leaves mostly at the base of the plant, up to 15 cm long and 5 mm wide, with branched flowerheads made up 1–3 clusters of many tightly clumped greenish to chestnut brown flowers/capsules (fruit).
Distribution
Common in Northland and northern Auckland.
Habitat
Wet sandy places.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Detailed description
Perennial, caespitose, 11–35 cm tall. Leaves basal or subbasal, 5–17 × (1.5)–2–5–(7) cm, apex acute. Inflorescence clustered, globose head of 1–3–(12) usually 6–12-flowerd clusters or 1–3 clusters shortly pedunculate. Stamens 6. Tepals subequal c. 3.7–4.2 mm long, grren-, pale- or red-brown with greenish central band. Capsule ovoid, subacute, apiculate, c. 2.5–3 mm.
Similar taxa
Very similar to the native J. caespiticius, but unlike this species it has several flower heads in an umbel rather than 1 or 2 compact globular heads.
Flowering
Spring to early summer
Flower colours
Brown, Green
Life cycle
Seed dispersed by animals, water or contaminated machinery.
Year naturalised
1990
Origin
South Africa
Reason for introduction
Unknown, seed or soil contaminant.
Control techniques
Not controlled in New Zealand.
Tolerances
Can tolerate brackish water. Frost tolerant.
Etymology
juncus: From the Latin jungere ‘to tie or bind’, the stems of some species being used to make cord (Johnson and Smith)
Txonomic notes
Recognised as present in New Zealand by Kirschner (2002). Subgenus Juncus, Section Graminifolii Kirschner (2002: Juncaceae 2)
Proćków et al. (2023) proposed a taxonomic segregation of Juncus into six genera based on molecular and morphological evidence. Whilst it has long been recognised that the current circumscription of Juncus includes morphologically divergent taxa—reflected in the recognition of numerous subgenera and sections—the consensus view of the NZPCN website taxonomy subcommittee, taking into consideration advice from Australian Juncus expert Dr Karen Wilson (NSW Herbarium) and others in Europe is that the generic segregations proposed need further consideration and testing. Accordingly, it has been decided to maintain the current broad circumscription of Juncus, but to include all new names as synonyms in factsheets. We thank, in particular, Dr Wilson for her helpful comments.
Attribution
Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA).
References and further reading
Kirschner, J. (compiler) (2002). Juncaceae 2: Juncus subg. Juncus, Species Plantarum: Flora of the World Part 7: 1-336.
Johnson, A. T.; Smith, H. A. 1986. Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd, Buckenhill, UK.
Proćków, J., Záveská Drábková, L. 2023. A revision of the Juncaceae with delimitation of six new genera: nomenclatural changes in Juncus. Phytotaxa 622(1): 17–41.