Juncus bufonius L. subsp. bufonius

Spice

Family: JUNCACEAE

Genus: Juncus

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Beaches and dunes, sandy soils. Non-saline wetlands (intermittent watercourses, streams, artesian wells, ditches). Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic silicolous fields. Sandy and humid soils.

Characteristics: This an annual cycle rush, and so very small in comparison with the perennials, it rarely grows to more than a palms length, (less than 10cm). The stems and leaves have a reddish base, and at times the entire plant takes on this colour. Flowers are formed on the superior middle half of the stems, in the subspecies bufonius these flowers are isolated, while the subspecies insulanus they form a small fascicle.