Juncaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the rush family. It consists of 7 genera and about 464 known species of slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous monocotyledonous plants that may superficially resemble grasses and sedges. They often grow on infertile soils in a wide range of moisture conditions. The best-known and largest genus is Juncus. Most of the Juncus species grow exclusively in wetland habitats. A few rushes, such as Juncus bufonius are annuals, but most are perennials. Despite the apparent similarity, Juncaceae are not counted among the plants with the vernacular name bulrush.
Scientists tested four wetland plants for their ability to soak up 'forever chemicals' (PFAS) from water and found one, umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius), pulled in far more contamination than the others thanks to its dense root system, while each species used a different internal chemistry trick to cope with the toxic buildup.
