320120 Juncus squarrosus L.
Distribution
Northern Iceland: Rare
Svalbard - Franz Joseph Land: Casual (Adventive)
Western Greenland: Rare
Eastern Greenland: Rare
Mid Arctic Tundra: Casual (Adventive)
Shrub Tundra: Rare
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Scattered
- L., Sp. Pl.: 327 (1753). Lectotype (LINN): northern Europe. Herb. Linn. 449.14 (Kirschner in Jarvis 2007: 601).
2n=
(1) 40. - Europe (N, C). - At least four reports.
(2) 42. - Europe (N, C). - Snogerup (1963); Micieta (1980).
Geography: Amphi-Atlantic (E): ICE NOR**? GRL.
Notes: Juncus squarrosus is probably functionally a diploid. Brooks and Clemants (2000) indirectly suggested J. squarrosus as introduced in Greenland but Böcher et al. (1978) and other authors consider it native there.
There is a record from Colesbukta on Spitsbergen, Svalbard (Kanz 2001). This locality is very far from its decidedly non-arctic, oceanic range in mainland Norway, Iceland, and southern Greenland. The plant was found in 2001 close to an abandoned Russian mining settlement. A specimen (BG) has been confirmed by Kirschner (in comment) and Kirschner et al. (2002c) as J. squarrosus. We have checked the specimen and agree with the identification. However, the collection consists of a mature infrutescence, something that is difficult to accept from this high-arctic site. The plant was searched for but not refound in 2002. The best interpretation is as a stray adventive. Persistence of this mainly temperate oceanic species in the high-arctic continental parts of Svalbard (zone C) is improbable.
Higher Taxa
- Juncus [3201,genus]