Common Name:

General Information

Juncus decipiens is a grass-like perennial plant forming a dense clump of leafless stems from a rhizomatous rootstock; it usually grows around 30 - 80cm tall, though it can be up to 150cm in cultivation[, ].
The plant is much used in Japan as a source of weaving material for making high class tatami mats and other decorative mats. The plant is widely cultivated on wet land in Japan and several cultivars have been developed. The plant is also used medicinally in China and Malaysia[].
Juncus decipiens has a broad distribution, is able to exploit anthropogenic habitats such as disturbed ground and ditches and is unlikely to be threatened with extinction in the short term. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Russian Far East, Japan, Korea, eastern China, northeast India, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea

Habitat

Forest margins, wet grasslands, morasses, lakes, river banks, fields and rice fields; at elevations up to 400 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Juncus decipiens has a very wide range, being found from near sea level in cold temperate regions of northeast Asia to mountainous regions in tropical regions of southeast Asia and New Guinea.
The soil best suited for growing Biiujo-i is of a clayey character containing a small ]>roportion of gravel and resting ujion a rather hard subsoil[].
The plant adapts to various types of soils and can grow in heavy clay soils; it needs moist soils and can grow in water and develop in partial shade[].

Edible Uses

Leave[].

Medicinal

The stem contains a spongy pith which is anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and febrifuge[].

Other Uses

The spongy pith of the stems is used as wicks for candles and oil lamps[].

The stems are used as weaving material for making baskets, mats etc. Especially in the Kumamoto Prefecturehe, the straw, called 'igusa' is commonly used to make high quality mats called 'tatami'[, ]]

The dried stems can be twisted into ropes[].

The stems are used to produce paper fibre giving an off-white paper suitable for a wide range of uses[]. They are used in combination with the fibers of the bark of mulberry trees (this is likely to refer to the paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera[]) for making stencil paper[].

The dried stems are used as a thatch[].

Propagation

Seed -