New Jersey rush (Juncus caesariensis) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 4

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Distribution

Global range

This species is currently known from New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia in the United States and from Nova Scotia in Canada (Figure 2).

Figure 2.  Global distribution of Juncus caesariensis

Canadian range

In the original status report (Newell and Newell, 1992), New Jersey Rush was reported from 16 bogs and fens on the coastal plain of southeastern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. These sites ranged from the Gracieville/Point Michaud area in the south, northeastwards along the coast to Fourchu Bay, a distance of approximately 50 km. Populations also occurred as much as 20 km inland (vicinity of Loch Lomond). At that time it was suggested that because of an abundance of wetland habitat present in this region, it was very probable that further fieldwork would reveal more sites for this species.

Fieldwork conducted by Parks Canada in 2001 (pers. comm., J. Bridgland, 2002), by the author in 2002 and by others (Table 1), has resulted in the discovery of an additional eleven sites for this species. All of these sites occur within the known geographic range for this species as reported by Newell and Newell (1992). Due to their proximity sites 4a and 4b have been combined as a single site, giving a total number of extant localities as 25 out of a total of 26 known sites. No plants could be confirmed in 2002 for site 17.

Sites 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 20 are on crown land.

The Canadian distribution of New Jersey Rush is illustrated in Figure 3. Additional sites surveyed, but not mapped, where plants were not found include the following (years when surveyed are indicated):

• Poirierville on Isle Madame (1991)
• Big Lorraine (1993)
• Little Lorraine (1993)
• MarionBridge (1993)
• Gabarus area (1991, 2002) – 2 sites
• Fourchu (associated with MacKenzies R; a large wetland behind the community centre; 2002)
• Framboise (2002) – 2 sites
• Grand River area (2002) – 2 sites (one site is near Fergusons Lake)
• Stirling (2002) – 2 sites (bridge over Strachans Brook, & Middle River Framboise)

In addition to the sites searched by the author, fieldwork was also conducted by Parks Canada for the presence of rare species outside of the boundaries of Louisbourg National Park and did not find any sites further north than the Mulcuish/Belfry Lakes area. Plants have never been found any further south than Little Harbour/Gracieville area and no further west than MacLeods Lakes on the road between Loch Lomond and Stirling. The region of occurrence for this species lies within a line drawn from Little Harbour to the MacLeods Lakes and then to Belfry Lake (south of Gabarus). Based on personal experience of the writer, the species appears to be limited by the general lay of the land, i.e., it is limited to the coastal plain where there is little upland but many wetlands.  Theterrain beyond the line indicated above rises and there are fewer wetlands. There are a large number of wetlands within the defined area that have not been checked for New Jersey Rush due to their occurrence inland and away from the roads. Most of the wetlands accessible from the highway and coastal roads have been surveyed.

The extent of occurrence is 350 km² (determined by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources). There appears to be no decrease in the extent of occurrence over the last ten years. The area of occupancy is estimated to be 0.09 km².