Mertens' rush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mertens' rush
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Juncaceae
Genus:	Juncus
Species:	J. mertensianus
Binomial name
Juncus mertensianus Bong.
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Synonyms
Juncus slwookoorum

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Juncus mertensianus, also known as Mertens' rush or Alaska rush, is a type of plant from the rush family. It grows in clumps and comes back year after year, making it a perennial herb. This plant grows from an underground stem called a rhizome.

What is Mertens' Rush?

Mertens' rush is a plant that grows in wet, mountainous areas. You can find it near riverbanks and in high-altitude meadows. It is native to a large part of western North America. This includes places from Alaska down to New Mexico, and as far east as Saskatchewan.

How Does it Look?

The stems of Mertens' rush are smooth and flat. They can grow up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall. The plant has only a few leaves. These leaves grow both at the very bottom of the plant and along its stems.

Mertens' rush plants in full flower at 10,400 feet (3,170 meters) high in the mountains.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of Mertens' rush usually grow in one main cluster. Each flower has shiny, dark brown to black parts called tepals. These are like petals and are about 3 to 4 millimeters long.

Each flower also has six stamens, which are the male parts. These stamens have yellowish anthers that hold the pollen. The flowers also have long, reddish stigmas, which are the female parts that catch the pollen. After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a dark, oval-shaped fruit. This fruit is a capsule that holds the seeds.