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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Juncus tenuis (Poverty rush)
Romfh, Peggy

Juncus tenuis

Juncus tenuis Willd.

Poverty Rush, Path Rush

Juncaceae (Rush Family)

Synonym(s): Juncus macer, Juncus tenuis var. multicornis, Juncus tenuis var. williamsii

USDA Symbol: JUTE

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), HI (I), PR (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

A member of the family Juncaceae which includes herbs, rarely shrubs, with mostly grass-like leaves, usually in a basal tuft, and small greenish or brownish flowers in dense spikes or heads or sometimes in loose clusters or even solitary.

 

From the Image Gallery

10 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 inches tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , HI , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: NB , NS , PE

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FACW FACW OBL FAC FAC FAC FAC FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Juncus tenuis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Juncus tenuis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Juncus tenuis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-15
Research By: TWC Staff

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