FNA: Juncus bufonius vs. Juncus texanus

	Juncus bufonius	Juncus texanus
	common toad rush, toad rush	Texas rush
Habit	Herbs, annual, cespitose, 0.5–4 dm.	Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 2.5–6 dm.
Rhizomes		1 mm diam., with swollen nodes.
Culms	1–many, occasionally becoming decumbent.	erect, terete, 1–3 mm diam., smooth.
Cataphylls	0–2.	0 or 1–2, straw-colored, apex rounded.
Leaves	basal and cauline; auricles rudimentary or absent; blade flat, 3–13 cm × 0.3–1.1 mm.	basal 0–1, cauline 3–5, auricles 1.5–2.5 mm, apex rounded to acutae, scarious; blade straw-colored to green, terete, 5.5–20 cm × 1–2.5 mm.
Inflorescences	loose and diffuse or less often compact, usually at least ½1/2 total height of plant; primary bract shorter than inflorescence.	terminal panicles of 2–16 heads, 2.5–6 cm, branches ascending, spreading, or reflexed; primary bract erect to spreading; heads 10–40-flowered, spheric, 11–15 mm diam.
Flowers	bracteoles 2; tepals greenish, lanceolate, 3.8–7(–8.5) mm; inner series slightly shorter, apex sometimes obtuse; stamens 3–6, filaments (0.7–)1–1.8 mm, anthers 0.3–0.8 mm; style 0.1–0.2 mm.	tepals green or straw-colored to reddish brown, lance-subulate, apex acuminate; outer tepals (3.5–)4–4.9 mm; inner tepals 3.9–5.4 mm; stamens 6, anthers 2–3 times filament length.
Capsules	tan to reddish brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid to narrowly so, slightly truncate, 2.7–4 × 1–1.5 mm, sometimes exceeding inner tepals but usually not outer series.	exserted, chestnut brown, 1-locular, lance-subulate, 5.2–6.5(–8) mm, apex tapering, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle.
Seeds	yellowish, widely ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.26–0.49, not tailed.	obovoid, 0.45–0.5 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown.
2n	= 27–37, 58–81, 108–115.

	Juncus bufonius	Juncus texanus
Phenology	Flowering and fruiting spring–early fall.	Fruiting summer.
Habitat	Moist soils in meadows, along lakeshores or stream banks, ditches, or roadsides, especially frequent in drawdown areas, usually in open sites and often becoming weedy	Swamps, depressions, seeps, sand or gravel bars, and wet mud
Elevation		400–600 m (1300–2000 ft)
Distribution	AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; nearly worldwide [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	LA; OK; TX [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Nearly worldwide, Juncus bufonius is found essentially throughout North America except north of the Alaskan and Canadian tTaiga. Juncus bufonius is a highly polymorphic complex that is poorly understood systematically. Insufficient evidence exists upon which to base the segregation of the plethora of taxa that have been recognized out of this group in the past. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 22.	FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa	Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Poiophylli	Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati
Sibling taxa	J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. ensifolius, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. texanus, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides	J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bufonius, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. ensifolius, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides
Synonyms	J. bufonius var. congestus, J. bufonius var. halophilus, J. bufonius var. hybridus, J. bufonius var. occidentalis, J. bufonius var. ranarius, J. congestus, J. ranarius	J. nodosus var. texanus
Name authority	Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 328. (1753)	(Engelmann) Coville: in J. K. Small, Flora of the Southeastern United States 259. (1903)
Web links	Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, Go Botany, IL Wildflowers, KS Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MN Wildflowers, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local Web sites: LA Plants WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Juncus texanus

common toad rush, toad rush

Texas rush

Habit

Herbs, annual, cespitose, 0.5–4 dm.

Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 2.5–6 dm.

Rhizomes

1 mm diam., with swollen nodes.

Culms

1–many, occasionally becoming decumbent.

erect, terete, 1–3 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

0–2.

0 or 1–2, straw-colored, apex rounded.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

auricles rudimentary or absent;

blade flat, 3–13 cm × 0.3–1.1 mm.

basal 0–1, cauline 3–5, auricles 1.5–2.5 mm, apex rounded to acutae, scarious;

blade straw-colored to green, terete, 5.5–20 cm × 1–2.5 mm.

Inflorescences

loose and diffuse or less often compact, usually at least ½1/2 total height of plant;

primary bract shorter than inflorescence.

terminal panicles of 2–16 heads, 2.5–6 cm, branches ascending, spreading, or reflexed;

primary bract erect to spreading;

heads 10–40-flowered, spheric, 11–15 mm diam.

Flowers

bracteoles 2;

tepals greenish, lanceolate, 3.8–7(–8.5) mm;

inner series slightly shorter, apex sometimes obtuse;

stamens 3–6, filaments (0.7–)1–1.8 mm, anthers 0.3–0.8 mm;

style 0.1–0.2 mm.

tepals green or straw-colored to reddish brown, lance-subulate, apex acuminate;

outer tepals (3.5–)4–4.9 mm;

inner tepals 3.9–5.4 mm;

stamens 6, anthers 2–3 times filament length.

Capsules

tan to reddish brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid to narrowly so, slightly truncate, 2.7–4 × 1–1.5 mm, sometimes exceeding inner tepals but usually not outer series.

exserted, chestnut brown, 1-locular, lance-subulate, 5.2–6.5(–8) mm, apex tapering, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle.

Seeds

yellowish, widely ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.26–0.49, not tailed.

obovoid, 0.45–0.5 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

= 27–37, 58–81, 108–115.

Juncus texanus

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting spring–early fall.

Fruiting summer.

Habitat

Moist soils in meadows, along lakeshores or stream banks, ditches, or roadsides, especially frequent in drawdown areas, usually in open sites and often becoming weedy

Swamps, depressions, seeps, sand or gravel bars, and wet mud

Elevation

400–600 m (1300–2000 ft)

Distribution

AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; nearly worldwide

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

LA; OK; TX

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Nearly worldwide, Juncus bufonius is found essentially throughout North America except north of the Alaskan and Canadian tTaiga. Juncus bufonius is a highly polymorphic complex that is poorly understood systematically. Insufficient evidence exists upon which to base the segregation of the plethora of taxa that have been recognized out of this group in the past.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source

FNA vol. 22.

Parent taxa

Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Poiophylli

Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati

Sibling taxa

J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. ensifolius, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. texanus, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides

J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bufonius, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. ensifolius, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides

Synonyms

J. bufonius var. congestus, J. bufonius var. halophilus, J. bufonius var. hybridus, J. bufonius var. occidentalis, J. bufonius var. ranarius, J. congestus, J. ranarius

J. nodosus var. texanus

Name authority

Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 328. (1753)

(Engelmann) Coville: in J. K. Small, Flora of the Southeastern United States 259. (1903)

Web links

Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA
Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, Go Botany, IL Wildflowers, KS Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MN Wildflowers, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database
LBJ Wildflower Center
SEINet
Plants of the World Online
Encyclopedia of Life
Wikipedia
Google Image Search

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora, UW Burke Herbarium

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Flora of North America species comparison

Juncus bufonius

Juncus texanus

Juncus bufonius

Juncus texanus