Rocky Mountain rush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rocky Mountain rush
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Juncaceae
Genus:	Juncus
Species:	J. saximontanus
Binomial name
Juncus saximontanus A.Nels.
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Juncus saximontanus, often called the Rocky Mountain rush, is a type of plant from the rush family. You can find it growing across much of western North America. Its home stretches from Alaska down to central Mexico. This plant loves wet places, especially in mountainous areas. It often grows in bogs, which are very wet, spongy areas, and in moist meadows.

What is the Rocky Mountain Rush?

The Rocky Mountain rush is a perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem like a tree or shrub. It grows from rhizomes, which are special underground stems. These rhizomes help the plant spread and form new shoots. This creates a clump of stems that can grow up to about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) tall.

Where Does This Rush Grow?

This plant is native to a large area of western North America. It thrives in places where the ground is often wet. You will commonly see it in higher elevations, like mountains. Its natural habitats include damp meadows and bogs, which are wetlands with very soft, wet ground.

What Does the Rocky Mountain Rush Look Like?

The Rocky Mountain rush has tall, slender stems that grow in clumps. At the top of these stems, you'll find its flowers.

Flowers and Seeds

The plant's inflorescence is the part that holds its flowers. It is made up of several oval or round clusters. Each of these clusters can have up to 25 small flowers. The flowers themselves are tiny, with narrow, pointed parts called segments. These segments are brown and usually less than 3 millimeters long. Sometimes, this rush is thought to be a type of Juncus ensifolius, another similar plant.