Juncus balticus

Baltic rush ( Juncus balticus )

The Baltic rush ( Juncus balticus ) is a growing on beaches plant from the family of the Rushes ( Juncaceae ).

Features

The Baltic rush is a perennial, herbaceous plant. It reaches heights of growth from 25 to 75 cm. It has a wide crawling, weakly branched rhizome with more than 1 cm long internodes. It formed loose grass and blue green.

The stems are clearly apart in a row, are rigidly erect, smooth and shiny. The pith is interrupted. At the base of the stems are straw-colored to light brown, spreitenlose leaf sheaths.

The inflorescence is apparently laterally in the upper third of stem. He is loose - spirrig and floriferous with 25 to 60, rarely up to 80 flowers and 4 to 8 cm long branches. The lower husk sets the stalk away, is one-fifth to one-third as long as the stems and dominates the Spirre far. It is rigid and pointed. The flowers have the basic two broad - ovate, obtuse, small bracteoles. The tepals are 3.2 to 4.7 mm long, red to maroon with a green center stripe and white skin edge. The outer tepals are finely pointed and slightly longer than the inner ones. These are just spitzlich. The six stamens are up to half as long as the tepals. The anthers are 0.8 to 1.5 mm long and 1.5 to 2 times as long as the stamens. The stylus is from 0.8 to 1 mm long, the scars are 1.5 to 2 mm long and straight. Bloom time is from June to August, the pollination is done by the wind ( anemophily ).

The capsule fruit is 3 to 4.5 mm long, while the same length or slightly longer than the perigone. It is triangular - ovate, obtuse with a short, patch spike tip. The surface is light brown and shiny. The seeds are from 0.8 to 1 mm long, narrow - ovate and have two very small appendages.

Occurrence

The Baltic rush is often on the Baltic coast, Borkum in the West Frisian islands, they rarely occurs. It grows on beach meadows and dune valleys on peaty sandy soil. It is salt ertragend.

Phytosociological it is a Assoziationscharakterart of junco baltici - Schoenetum nigricantis ( Caricion davallianae ) and also occurs in Ericion tetralicis.

Documents

• Siegmund Seybold (ed.): Schmeil Fitschen - interactive ( CD -Rom ), Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2001/2002, ISBN 3-494-01327-6