Juncus xiphioides

{{Speciesbox

| image = Juncusxiphioides.jpg

| genus = Juncus

| species = Juncus xiphioides

| authority = E.Mey.

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Juncus xiphioides, commonly known as the irisleaf rush, is a species of rush in the Juncacae family. A perennial rush found growing in creek beds and freshwater marshlands of the Southwestern United States.{{Cite web |title=Plant Details page for: Irisleaf Rush |url=https://www.smmflowers.org/mobile/species/Juncus_xiphioides.htm |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.smmflowers.org}}{{Cite web |title=Search for Plants -- Calflora |url=https://www.calflora.org/entry/psearch.html?namesoup=Juncus+xiphioides&countylist=any&plantcomm=any&format=photos&orderby=taxon |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.calflora.org}} It can be grown for phytoremediation or ornamental purposes.{{Cite journal |last1=Pilon-Smits |first1=E. a. H. |last2=de Souza |first2=M. P. |last3=Hong |first3=G. |last4=Amini |first4=A. |last5=Bravo |first5=R. C. |last6=Payabyab |first6=S. T. |last7=Terry |first7=N. |date=1999 |title=Selenium Volatilization and Accumulation by Twenty Aquatic Plant Species |url=https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2134/jeq1999.00472425002800030035x |journal=Journal of Environmental Quality |language=en |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=1011–1018 |doi=10.2134/jeq1999.00472425002800030035x |bibcode=1999JEnvQ..28.1011P |issn=1537-2537}}

The Latin name derives from jungere ("to join or bind") as the stems were used for binding and xiphos ("sword") for its blade shaped leaves.{{Cite web |title=Page Two |url=https://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/index2.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.calflora.net}}

Description

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The plant can have multiple flat shoots growing off of one main stem. The stem grows vertically from 30 to 90 cm tall, with leaves growing at the base and top of stems in an alternate distichous arrangement.{{Cite web |title=Juncus xiphioides in Flora of North America @ efloras.org |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=222000197 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.efloras.org}} The leaves can grow to 40 cm long with a tapering shape that can be 14 mm at the widest point and 4 mm at the slimmest.{{Cite web |title=Plant Details page for: Irisleaf Rush |url=https://www.smmflowers.org/mobile/species/Juncus_xiphioides.htm |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.smmflowers.org}} The leaves predominantly appear green in color but can appear to be slightly red.{{Cite web |title=Iris-leaf Rush in Arizona's Sycamore Canyons |url=http://www.arizonensis.org/sycamore/nature/flora/juncus_xiphioides.html |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.arizonensis.org}}

The plant's inflorescence has multiple branchlets, each with multiple flowering heads, growing off the main stem. The flowers usually remain enclosed in their bracts, only opening about 1-2 mm when the perianth spreads. The flowers inside are small and green, while the bract is green with a reddish tip. The flowers can range from a spherical to a more oblong shape and be 7-11 mm in diameter.

Habitat

Juncus xiphioides are found growing in moisture-rich environments, such as creek beds, rivers, lakes, and freshwater marshlands. In those environments, the plant can grow in direct sunlight or in shaded areas.{{Cite web |title=irisleaf rush - Encyclopedia of Life |url=https://eol.org/pages/634843 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=eol.org}} Due to the 2-3 mm rhizomatous roots, its growth cycle is perennial with a blooming period from early summer to fall.{{Cite web |title=Juncus xiphioides in Flora of North America @ efloras.org |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=222000197 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=www.efloras.org}}

Environmental Benefits

Juncus xiphioides can be used to benefit the environment it is growing in multiple ways. The first way includes the roots of the plant being used to stabilize the soil it is planted in. Through the roots, water is filtered and assists with preventing erosion.{{Cite journal |last=Medina |first=Alvin L. |date=1996 |title=Native aquatic plants and ecological condition of southwestern wetlands and riparian areas |url=https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/35737 |journal=In: Shaw, Douglas W.; Finch, Deborah M., Tech Coords. Desired Future Conditions for Southwestern Riparian Ecosystems: Bringing Interests and Concerns Together. 1995 Sept. 18-22, 1995; Albuquerque, NM. General Technical Report RM-GTR-272. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. P. 329-335. |language=en |volume=272 |pages=329–335}} A second way that the plant can improve its environment is through phytoremediation. In an environment where selenium, selenate in particular, is in excess, will be taken up by the rush and store it in its shoots. If a body of water is contaminated by agricultural wastewater that contains selenate, Juncus xiphioides can be used to clean the environment from the selenium.{{Cite journal |last1=Pilon-Smits |first1=E. a. H. |last2=de Souza |first2=M. P. |last3=Hong |first3=G. |last4=Amini |first4=A. |last5=Bravo |first5=R. C. |last6=Payabyab |first6=S. T. |last7=Terry |first7=N. |date=1999 |title=Selenium Volatilization and Accumulation by Twenty Aquatic Plant Species |url=https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2134/jeq1999.00472425002800030035x |journal=Journal of Environmental Quality |language=en |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=1011–1018 |doi=10.2134/jeq1999.00472425002800030035x |bibcode=1999JEnvQ..28.1011P |issn=1537-2537}} Selenium as a pollutant can cause plants to have multiple vital systems, such as the building of protein structures or the breaking down of nutrients, to not work properly. The growth and efficiency of a plant can be stunted by the presence of selenium or selenate in its ecosystem.{{Cite journal |last1=Hasanuzzaman |first1=Mirza |last2=M H M Borhannuddin Bhuyan |last3=Raza |first3=Ali |last4=Hawrylak-Nowak |first4=Barbara |last5=Matraszek-Gawron |first5=Renata |last6=Nahar |first6=Kamrun |last7=Fujita |first7=Masayuki |date=2020-12-04 |title=Selenium Toxicity in Plants and Environment: Biogeochemistry and Remediation Possibilities |journal=Plants |language=en |volume=9 |issue=12 |doi=10.3390/plant |doi-broken-date=2 March 2025 |doi-access=free |pmc=7762096 }} Juncus xiphioides being able to take up large quantities of selenium from the environment, benefits the surrounding ecosystem.

References

External links

[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?8238,8239,8310 Jepson Manual Treatment]
[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Juncus+xiphioides Photo gallery]

xiphioides

Category:Flora of Arizona

Category:Flora of California

Category:Flora of Baja California

Category:Flora of Nevada

Category:Flora of New Mexico

Category:Flora of the Klamath Mountains

Category:Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States)

Category:Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands

Category:Natural history of the California Coast Ranges

Category:Natural history of the Central Valley (California)

Category:Natural history of the Channel Islands of California