''Oreojuncus trifidus'' is a species of
rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
known by the common names highland rush
and three-leaved rush.
It is native to the Northern Hemisphere, where it is an arctic/montane species with an amphi-atlantic distribution.
Description
''Oreojuncus trifidus'' is a perennial herb with tufted stems up to 40 centimeters long, growing erect or drooping. There are a few grasslike leaf blades measuring up to 12 centimeters long. The
inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
holds one to four flowers with brown
tepal
A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...
s and six
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s. The fruit is a capsule a few millimeters long.
[''Juncus trifidus''.]
Flora of North America. The plant reproduces sexually with its flowering structures and vegetatively
Vegetative reproduction (also known as vegetative propagation, vegetative multiplication or cloning) is any form of asexual reproduction occurring in plants in which a new plant grows from a fragment or cutting of the parent plant or spec ...
via its rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
, when it may form colonies.[
]
Habitat
This species grows in a number of habitat types, especially in alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
environments. It can be found in talus, on cliffs and ledges, fellfields, tundra
In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless moun ...
, and meadows. It grows in a wide variety of heath ecosystems. The soils may be dry to moist, calcareous, and acidic.[Schori, M]
Conservation Assessment for Highland Rush (''Juncus trifidus'') L.
USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region. May 6, 2004. They may be gravelly, sandy, and rich in iron. The plant is known as a pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
on ski slopes and roadsides.[ It may grow alongside many types of mosses and lichens.][
]
Distribution
''Oreojuncus trifidus'' is an amphi-atlantic plant,Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
regions, the northeastern United States, Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
, Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...
, northern Britain, and northern Asia.[Aiken, S.G., et al. 2007]
Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval.
NRC Research Press, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa. It also occurs in the high mountains of southern Europe.
While not rare in general, the plant faces threats in some locations. Some populations in the Adirondacks are harmed by trampling by hikers.[''Juncus trifidus''.]
New York Natural Heritage Program. Rush habitat on Camel's Hump
Camel's Hump (alternatively Camels Hump) is a mountain in the Green Mountains in the U.S. state of Vermont. The north slope of the mountain borders the Winooski River, which has carved through the Green Mountains over eons. At , it is tied (with ...
and Mount Marcy
Mount Marcy (Mohawk: ''Tewawe’éstha'') is the highest point in New York, with an elevation of . It is located in the Town of Keene in Essex County. The mountain is in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks region of the High Peaks Wildern ...
also suffers from trampling disturbance.[ Rush-dominated heath in the Cairngorms is also potentially threatened by trampling.][Pryor, P. J. 1985]
The effects of disturbance on open ''Juncus trifidus'' health in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland. In: The ecological impacts of outdoor recreation on mountain areas in Europe and North America.
RERG Report, Recreation Ecology Research Group, UK. No. 9 53-62.
References
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q50347044, from2=Q159896
Juncaceae
Flora of North America
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus