Juncus prismatocarpus
Synonyms
None
Family
Juncaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
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.
JUNPRI
Current conservation status
The threat classification status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Indigenous. North and South Island. In the South Island uncommon, and known only from scattered sites in Nelson and Westland. Present in Australia, the Philippines, Japan, China, India and Sri Lanka
Habitat
Coastal to montane (1000 m a.s.l.). Usually in lowland wetland habitats or in poorly drained soils in open scrub and gumland scrub. Often on the sunny margins of damp tracksides, or present in building sites on recently cleared clay.
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).
FACW: Facultative Wetland
Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).
Features
Glabrous, annual or short-lived perennial, herb forming bright green to yellow green, erect, loosely tufted patches. Stems more or less compressed, rarely terete, 90-800 x 2-4 mm, most erect, rarely shortly creeping and rooting at these base from the nodes. Leaves numerous, basal and cauline, 80-420 x 2-5 mm, rarely overtopping stems; lamina linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, compressed but hollow, longitudinally multitubular, each tube transversely septate, leaf apex acute, occasionally weakly dilated; sheath broad and loose, with membranous margins and two obtuse auricles. Inflorescence a terminal, much branched cyme with globular bright green to rust-coloured fascicles of 6-18 flowers at the ends of the spreading branchlets; subtending leaves 1-2, foliaceous, < inflorescence, septate. Flowers 3-4 mm long; tepals acuminate, more or less equal, occasionally with the outer tepals shorter, greenish brown or red, membranous, margins very narrow. Stamens 3 about one half the length of the tepals. Capsule 4.5-5.0 x 1.0-1.5 mm, rust- or straw-coloured, usually much < tepals, triquetrous, ovate-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to a mucronate tip.
Similar taxa
Easily recognised by the bright green to yellow-green, more or less flat sword-like leaves which are multitubular with each individual tubular partition transversely septate (easily seen if the leaf is held to the light). It is most often confused with Juncus fockei Buchenau and J. holoschoenus R.Br. Both species differ from J. prismatocarpus by having unitubular terete leaves whose transverse septate extended across the entire leaf width, and by their flowers which have six rather than three stamens.
Flowering
August - March
Flower colours
Brown, Green
Fruiting
October - May
Life cycle
Mucilaginous seeds are dispersed by attachment, wind and water (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed. The inflorescences often proliferate. Prefers permanently damp ground in full sun but will tolerate shade. Can be invasive.
Threats
Not Threatened but uncommon in the South Island
Etymology
juncus: From the Latin jungere ‘to tie or bind’, the stems of some species being used to make cord (Johnson and Smith)
prismatocarpus: From the Latin prismaticus ‘prism shaped’, i.e. having several longitudinal angles and intermediate flat faces, and the Greek carpus ‘fruit’ or ‘relating to fruit’, meaning prism shaped fruit
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 September 2006). Description based on Moore & Edgar (1970).
References and further reading
Johnson, A. T. and Smith, H. A (1986). Plant Names Simplified: Their pronunciation, derivation and meaning. Landsman Bookshop Ltd: Buckenhill, UK.
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington.
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Juncus prismatocarpus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/juncus-prismatocarpus/ (Date website was queried)