Family: Juncaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 328 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Juncus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Temp. & Subtrop. to Trop. Mts.
Description
Toad rush, scientifically known as Juncus bufonius, is a fascinating species belonging to the family Juncaceae. This resilient plant exhibits an extensive geographical range, thriving in temperate and subtropical regions, and even extending to tropical mountainous areas.
Initially classified and documented in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work “Species Plantarum” (Sp. Pl.: 328), Juncus bufonius has captivated botanists and plant enthusiasts alike for centuries. Linnaeus’s meticulous description laid the groundwork for subsequent research and understanding of this adaptable species.
Juncus bufonius is recognized for its slender, grass-like appearance, typically found in moist, often disturbed habitats such as wetlands, ditches, and damp fields. Its flexibility in adapting to various environmental conditions makes it a widespread and common sight across its native and introduced ranges. The plant’s small, inconspicuous flowers usually bloom from late spring to autumn, contributing to its subtle yet important role in its ecosystems.
The ecological significance of toad rush cannot be overstated; it plays a vital role in maintaining soil stability and moisture retention in its habitats. Moreover, Juncus bufonius serves as a crucial resource for various wildlife, providing food and shelter for numerous bird species, insects, and other small organisms.
In summary, Juncus bufonius, or toad rush, is a key player in its native and introduced environments, illustrating a remarkable adaptability to diverse climatic conditions. Its historical and ecological relevance continues to make it a plant of interest in both botanical studies and ecological management strategies.
Common Names
Spa: junco de ranas, junco de rana
Deu: kröten-binse
Eng: toad rush, common toad rush
Dan: tudse-siv
Nld: greppelrus
Fra: jonc des crapauds, jonc halophile
Swe: konnanvihvilä, vägtåg, kryptåg
Fin: konnanvihvilä
Nor: kryp-frytle, padde-frytle
Nno: paddesiv
Nob: paddesiv
Sme: bálggesjiekta
Cym: brwynen y llyffant, brwynen y llyffant du
Ita: giunco annuale
En: Toad rush, Common toad rush, Toad Grass
Ar: سمار (سَمار، سَمَّار، سُمَّار), شعر القرد (شَعْر القِرْد), أسل علجومي
Be: Сітнік жабіны
Ca: Jonc de galàpet, Jonc dels galàpets
Zh: 小灯心草, 小灯芯草, 小燈心草
Cs: Sítina žabí
Da: Tudse-siv
Nl: Greppelrus
Et: Kraavluga
Fi: Konnanvihvilä
Fr: Jonc des Crapauds, Jonc halophile, Herbe à crapauds, Jonc crapaudine
De: Kröten-Binse, Kröten Binse, Krötengras
He: סמר מצוי
Ga: Buafluachair
It: Giunco annuale
Lv: Krupju donis
Se: Bálggesjiekta
No: Kryp-frytle, Padde-frytle
Nb: Paddesiv
Nn: Paddesiv
Fa: سازوی وزغی
Pl: Sit dwudzielny
Es: Junco de Rana, Junco de ranas, Junco de sapo, Pokko
Sv: Vägtåg, Konnanvihvilä, Kryptåg
Zh-tw: 小燈心草
Zh-hant: 小燈心草
Uk: Ситник ропуховий
Cy: Brwynen y llyffant du, Brwynen y Llyffant
Synonyms
- Schoenus ferrugineus (Krock.)
- Juncus bufonius var. minimus (Gray)
- Juncus bufonius var. pumilio (Griseb.)
- Cyperus bufonius ((L.) Maack ex Trautv.)
- Juncus bufonius var. genuinus (Cout.)
- Juncus istriacus (Gand.)
- Juncus bufonius var. alpinus (Schur)
- Juncus bufonius f. scoparius ((Asch. & Graebn.) Nyár.)
- Juncus pumilus (Raf.)
- Juncus bufonius var. laxus (Čelak.)
- Juncus creticus (Raf.)
- Juncus bufonius frondescens (Döll)
- Juncus aletaiensis (K.F.Wu)
- Juncus leptocladus (Hayata)
- Juncus bufonius var. susianus (Nábelek)
- Juncus bufonius var. subauriculatus (Buchenau)
- Juncus bufonius var. suffocatus (Lojac.)
- Juncus bilineatus (Gand.)
- Juncus bufonius var. viviparus (Gray)
- Tenageia bufonia ((L.) Fourr.)
- Juncus bufonius giganteus (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Juncus bufonius f. congestus ((Wahlenb.) Lindm.)
- Juncus bufonius subsp. juzepczukii ((V.I.Krecz. & Gontsch.) Soó)
- Juncus bufonius var. tuberifer (Krylov)
- Juncus cespifolius (Raf.)
- Juncus bufonius f. bracteatus (Pamp.)
- Juncus bufonius var. juzepczukii ((V.I.Krecz. & Gontsch.) Vorosch.)
- Juncus bufonius f. divaricatus (Racib.)
- Juncus plebeius (R.Br.)
- Juncus bufonius var. repens (Mérat)
- Juncus bufonius var. procerior (Roth)
- Juncus bufonius var. dolichophyllus (Zapal.)
- Juncus bufonius var. gracilis (St.-Amans)
- Juncus bufonius var. gramineus (Lojac.)
- Juncus bufonius leucanthus (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Juncus juzepczukii (V.I.Krecz. & Gontsch.)
- Juncus bufonius var. capillaris (Rchb.)
- Juncus bufonius var. compactus (Čelak.)
- Juncus bufonius scoparius (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Juncus bufonius var. filiformis (Lojac.)
- Juncus bufonius var. congestus (Wahlb.)
- Juncus bulbosus var. pumilus (Hartm.)
- Juncus bufonius f. filiformis (Klinge)
- Juncus bufonius f. frondescens (Miszczenko)
- Juncus bufonius var. typicus (Husn.)
- Juncus bufonius f. alpinus ((Schur) I.Grint.)
- Juncus bufonius subsp. helaertii (Sennen & Leroy)
- Juncus fasciatus (Lojac.)
- Juncus bufonius parviflorus (Asch. & Graebn.)
- Juncus prolifer (Kunth)
- Juncus bufonius var. vulgaris (Boiss.)
- Juncus bufonius f. giganteus ((Asch. & Graebn.) Nyár.)
- Juncus bufonius var. grandiflorus (Schult. & Schult.f.)
- Juncus erythropodus (V.I.Krecz.)
- Juncus bufonum (Bubani)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Alabama (native)
- Alaska (native)
- Albania (native)
- Alberta (native)
- Algeria (native)
- Altay (native)
- Amur (native)
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Argentina South (native)
- Arizona (native)
- Arkansas (native)
- Assam (native)
- Austria (native)
- Azores (native)
- Bahamas (native)
- Baleares (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Borneo (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- British Columbia (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Buryatiya (native)
- California (native)
- Canary Is. (native)
- Cape Provinces (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Chad (native)
- Chile Central (native)
- Chile North (native)
- Chile South (native)
- China North-Central (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Chita (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Colorado (native)
- Connecticut (native)
- Corse (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Cyprus (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East Aegean Is. (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- East Himalaya (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- Egypt (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Falkland Is. (native)
- Finland (native)
- Florida (native)
- France (native)
- Free State (native)
- Føroyar (native)
- Georgia (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Hawaii (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Iceland (native)
- Illinois (native)
- India (native)
- Indiana (native)
- Inner Mongolia (native)
- Iowa (native)
- Iran (native)
- Iraq (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Japan (native)
- Juan Fernández Is. (native)
- Kamchatka (native)
- Kansas (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Kentucky (native)
- Kenya (native)
- Khabarovsk (native)
- Kirgizstan (native)
- Korea (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Kriti (native)
- Krym (native)
- Kuril Is. (native)
- Labrador (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Libya (native)
- Louisiana (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Madeira (native)
- Magadan (native)
- Maine (native)
- Manchuria (native)
- Manitoba (native)
- Maryland (native)
- Masachusettes (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mexican Pacific Is. (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Michigan (native)
- Minnesota (native)
- Missouri (native)
- Mongolia (native)
- Montana (native)
- Morocco (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Nebraska (native)
- Nepal (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- New Hampshire (native)
- New Jersey (native)
- New Mexico (native)
- New South Wales (native)
- New York (native)
- New Zealand North (native)
- New Zealand South (native)
- Newfoundland (native)
- North Carolina (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North Dakota (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Northwest Territorie (native)
- Norway (native)
- Nova Scotia (native)
- Nunavut (native)
- Ohio (native)
- Oklahoma (native)
- Ontario (native)
- Oregon (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Palestine (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Pennsylvania (native)
- Peru (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Poland (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Primorye (native)
- Prince Edward I. (native)
- Qinghai (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Québec (native)
- Rhode I. (native)
- Romania (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Sakhalin (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Saskatchewan (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- Sinai (native)
- Socotra (native)
- South Australia (native)
- South Dakota (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Tadzhikistan (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tasmania (native)
- Tennessee (native)
- Texas (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Tibet (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Tristan da Cunha (native)
- Tunisia (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Turkmenistan (native)
- Tuva (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Uzbekistan (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Vermont (native)
- Victoria (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Virginia (native)
- Washington (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- West Virginia (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Wisconsin (native)
- Wyoming (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yakutskiya (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Amsterdam-St.Paul Is (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- Crozet Is. (introduced)
- Norfolk Is. (introduced)
- St.Helena (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Leaf
Taken May 14, 2022 by Kuznetsova Arina (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 17, 2022 by Arjan Nijssen (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 31, 2021 by Rinusz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2020 by Vincent HURBAIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 16, 2022 by Giulia (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken May 2, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 25, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Florent Beck (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 25, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Florent Beck (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 20, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Genevieve BOTTI (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Jun 22, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2017 by Tela Botanica − Liliane ROUBAUDI (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 2, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Michaël MARTINEZ (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 16, 2022 by Giulia (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jun 22, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 22, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 22, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 13, 2022 by Ольга Токарчук (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Tela Botanica − José Luis Romero Rego (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 22, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Tela Botanica − José Luis Romero Rego (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 18, 2021 by Easger (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jun 13, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 1881 by Tela Botanica − Anne-Marie GRIMAUD (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 15, 2015 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken May 15, 2015 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken Dec 31, 1847 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30079279-2)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/6413649)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Juncus bufonius L.)
Specifications
Growth form: Bunch
Growth habit: Graminoid
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.6
Ph minimum: 4.6
Light: 7
Atmospheric humidity: 8
Bloom months: [‘may’, ‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’]
Soil nutriments: 5
