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sharpflower rush

dagger rush, dagger-leaf rush, sword-leaf rush, three-stamen rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, to 8 dm. Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 2–6 dm.
Rhizomes

5–6 mm diam., nodes not swollen.

2–3 mm diam.

Culms

erect, terete, 3 mm diam., smooth.

erect, 2–6 mm diam.

Cataphylls

1, straw-colored, apex acute.

0 or 1–2, straw-colored, apex narrowly acute.

Leaves

basal 1, cauline 2;

auricles 0.5 mm, apex rounded, cartilaginous;

blade 7–45 cm x 1–2 mm, terete, not scabrous.

basal 1–3, cauline 2–6, straw-colored;

auricles absent;

blade 2–25 cdm x 1.5–6 mm.

Inflorescences

terminal panicles of 70–120 heads, 6–10 cm, branches ascending;

primary bract erect;

heads 3–5(–8)-flowered, obconic, 2–4 mm diam.

panicles or racemes of 2–50 heads or heads solitary, 2–14 cm, erect or ascending branches;

primary bract erect;

heads 3–70-flowered, obovoid to globose, 7–11 mm diam.

Flowers

tepals dark reddish brown, lanceolate, apex acuminate to subulate tipte;

outer tepals 1.9–2.2 mm;

inner tepals 2–2.3 mm;

stamens 6, anthers 2 times filament length.

tepals green to brown or reddish brown, lanceolate;

outer tepals 2.7–3.6(–4) mm, apex acuminate;

inner tepals 2.2–3(–3.5) mm, nearly equal, apex acuminate;

stamens 3 or 6;

anthers ½1/2 to equal filament length.

Capsules

inserted with beak exserted, straw-colored, 1-locular, narrowly ovoid, 2.3–2.4 mm, tapering to subulate tip, valves separating at dehiscence.

included to slightly exserted, chestnut to dark brown, 1-locular, oblong, 2.4–4.3 mm, apex obtuse proximal to beak.

Seeds

narrowly ovoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

elliptic to obovate, 0.4–1 mm, occasionally tailed.

Juncus acutiflorus

Juncus ensifolius

Phenology Fruiting fall.
Habitat Wet woods
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NF; SPM; Europe; Asia; Africa
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; NY; OR; SD; TX; UT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; ON; QC; SK [Introduced in Europe and East Asia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Stamens 3
var. ensifolius
1. Stamens 6
var. montanus
Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Ensifolii
Sibling taxa
J. acuminatus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bufonius, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. ensifolius, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. texanus, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides
J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, J. brachycephalus, J. brachyphyllus, J. brevicaudatus, J. bryoides, J. bufonius, J. bulbosus, J. caesariensis, J. canadensis, J. capillaris, J. capitatus, J. castaneus, J. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, J. debilis, J. dichotomus, J. diffusissimus, J. drummondii, J. dubius, J. dudleyi, J. effusus, J. elliottii, J. falcatus, J. filiformis, J. filipendulus, J. georgianus, J. gerardii, J. greenei, J. gymnocarpus, J. hallii, J. hemiendytus, J. howellii, J. inflexus, J. interior, J. kelloggii, J. leiospermus, J. lesueurii, J. longistylis, J. luciensis, J. macrandrus, J. macrophyllus, J. marginatus, J. maritimus, J. megacephalus, J. mertensianus, J. militaris, J. nevadensis, J. nodatus, J. nodosus, J. occidentalis, J. orthophyllus, J. oxymeris, J. parryi, J. patens, J. pelocarpus, J. pervetus, J. phaeocephalus, J. polycephalus, J. regelii, J. repens, J. roemerianus, J. scirpoides, J. secundus, J. squarrosus, J. stygius, J. subcaudatus, J. subtilis, J. supiniformis, J. tenuis, J. texanus, J. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides
Subordinate taxa
J. ensifolius var. ensifolius, J. ensifolius var. montanus
Name authority Ehrhart: in G. F. Hoffmann, Deutschl. Fl. 1: 125. (1791) Wikstrom: Kongl. Vetenskaps Academiens Handlingar 2: 274. (1823)
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