Flora of New Zealand Series

Flowers solitary, distant; tepals < 4 mm long.

N. North Auckland - Lake Waiparera. S. Canterbury - Mackenzie Country; Westland - Lake Ianthe. Margins of tarns or lakes.

First record:‡

First collection: Lake Ianthe, S. Westland, roadside, B. E. V. Parham, 6.6.1965 (CHR 153534).

J. bufonius is commonly confused with J. tenuis, but unlike J. tenuis is easily pulled from the soil, and the flower heads occupy the greater part of the plant height. J. capitatus, also easily pulled from the soil, differs in its terminal cluster (occasionally 1-2 lateral) of 3-8 flowers.

Toad rush is one of the most variable, widely distributed and abundant plants in temperate regions of the world; in N.Z. the most widely occurring adventive plant and sp. of Juncus. It is found in a wide range of soil and climatic conditions - dry to wet lowland sites, sandy to heavy clay soils, modified tussock grassland - from sea-level to over 1200 m. It varies in size from small, 1-stemmed, 1-2-flowered plants to large tufted grassy plants with broad diffuse heads.

J. bufonius is a weed of varying significance in different situations, occurring in damp gardens, cultivated land, shingle pathways and drives, newly sown pastures, and lawns. It is more abundant and troublesome in wet seasons and in such places as banks of ditches and water races, and gutter channels along road verges or gutters in towns. The seeds are mucilaginous and dispersed by animals, and may be carried on implements and footwear. The sp. is dispersed locally by wind or run-off water, and introduced to some sites in irrigation water.