Juncus balticus is a northern species mostly to be found in maritime sandy spots from Fife northwards but for some reason there's plenty of it to be seen in the sunny southern sand dunes of the Sefton Coast. The last time I saw this plant was at Durness which couldn't be much further away. The chestnut brown nutlets have a tiny spike and the perianth segments (when sepals and petals can't be differentiated they are often called perianth) are sharply pointed. Stace also suggests that the stems have schlerenchyma (woody stuff) girders!

Common on the northern and eastern coasts of Scotland and the Hebrides, this rush has only the Sefton coast as its single English site. There is none to be found in Wales or Ireland.

Southport Dunes 23rd July 2005

Added on 19th August 2005, updated 7th February 2010, updated 13th April 2010