Finger rush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Finger rush |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Juncus
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| Species: |
digitatus
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The Juncus digitatus, also known as the finger rush, is a very rare type of rush plant. It grows only in Shasta County, California, in just two known spots near Shingletown. This special plant likes wet places, like vernal pools (which are temporary ponds that fill with water in spring), especially in sunny areas at the bottom of the southernmost Cascade Range mountains. Scientists first found this plant in 1991 and officially named it a new species in 2008.
What Does the Finger Rush Look Like?
The Juncus digitatus is an annual herb, meaning it lives for only one growing season. It forms small, thick groups of thin stems that look almost like hair. These stems are often red and can grow up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) tall. Its leaves are very short, usually less than 2 centimeters long, and mostly grow from the bottom of the plant.
Flowers and Fruit
The plant's flowers grow either alone or in a small bunch of up to eight flowers at the very top of the stems. Each flower has six small, pointed parts called tepals, which are a few millimeters long. They can be reddish or greenish and get a bit purplish at their tips. After the flower, a red or brownish fruit grows. It looks like a small finger and is about 1 to 2 centimeters long. This fruit is a capsule, which holds the plant's seeds.
Why is the Finger Rush So Rare?
The finger rush is very closely related to another plant called Juncus triformis. They sometimes grow together in the same areas. Both of the known groups of finger rush plants are in danger.
Their natural home is shrinking because land is being changed for farming. Also, the spring water that feeds one group of plants has been moved away by pipes. The other group might be harmed by mining for ornamental rocks. Because of these threats, it's very important to protect the finger rush and its special habitat.
