littoralis (Engelm.) Hultén Plant Symbol = JUARL Contributed by: USDA NRCS Idaho Plant Materials

roots for the black color (Timbrook 1997). The foundation material is made of mountain rush and the sewing material is made of basket rush (J. textilis). The Cahuilla, Diegueño, Luiseño, and Chumash dye the mature rushes black by steeping them for several hours in an infusion of either horned sea-bl...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mountain Rush, Plant Guide, Murphey Chumash Baskets, From Southern
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternate Names Common Alternate Names
Arctic rush
Baltic rush Scientific Alternate Names
J. balticus Uses
Arctic
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.370.1019
http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_juarl.pdf
Description
Summary:roots for the black color (Timbrook 1997). The foundation material is made of mountain rush and the sewing material is made of basket rush (J. textilis). The Cahuilla, Diegueño, Luiseño, and Chumash dye the mature rushes black by steeping them for several hours in an infusion of either horned sea-blite (Suaeda calceoliformis or bush seepweed (Suaeda moquinii). This dye is very penetrating and the color is durable, but it has a fetid, disagreeable smell. Juncus species are also dyed yellow in an infusion of indigo bush (Psorothamnus emoryi) (Barrows 1967; Merrill 1970). The early sprouts of mountain rush were sometimes eaten raw by the Snuqualmi of Washington (Gunther 1973). Juncus shoots were eaten raw, roasted in ashes, or boiled by Maidu, Luiseño, and others (Strike 1994). Owens Valley Paiute ate the seeds. Other Uses: Wildlife habitat and food, erosion prevention, sediment retention, basketry, food, tatami mats, and nutrient transformation. Mountain rush has nitrogenfixing capabilities. They are useful for stabilization and revegetation of disturbed areas. These plants can be invasive. Juncus species are used by a wide range of mammal and avian species for food and habitat (Hoag and Zierke 1998). Rush seeds are eaten by waterfowl, songbirds, small mammals, jack rabbits, cottontail, muskrat, porcupine, quail, and gopher (Martin 1951). Rushes help improve habitat for amphibians and spawning areas for fish. Muskrats feed on the roots and rhizomes of soft rush, and various wetland wading birds find shelter among the stems.

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