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sharpflower rush

jointed rush, knotted rish, knotted rush, tuberous rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, to 8 dm. Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 0.4–5.5(–7) dm.
Rhizomes

5–6 mm diam., nodes not swollen.

with swollen nodes, 1 mm diam.

Culms

erect, terete, 3 mm diam., smooth.

erect, terete, 1–3 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

1, straw-colored, apex acute.

0 or 1–2., pink to gray, apex 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, cauline 2–4, green to pink;

auricles 0.5–1.7 mm, apex rounded, membranaceous to cartilaginous;

blade terete, 6–30 cm × 0.5–1.5 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.

terminal racemes of 3–15 heads, 0.6–6 cm, branches ascending to erect;

primary bract erect;

heads 6–30-flowered, spheric, 6–10(–12) 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 light brown, lance-subulate, 2.4–4.1 mm, nearly equal, apex acuminate;

stamens 3 or 6, anthers 1/2 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.

exserted, chestnut brown, 1-locular, lance-subulate, 3.2–5 mm, apex tapering, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle.

Seeds

narrowly ovoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

oblong, ellipsoid, or obovoid, 0.4–0.5 mm, not tailed.

2n

= 40.

Juncus acutiflorus

Juncus nodosus

Phenology Fruiting fall. Fruiting early summer–fall.
Habitat Wet woods Sandy and muddy shores of lakes, streams, rivers, and estuaries (both freshwater and brackish), swamps, fens, salt marshes, and wet fields, often calcareous
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft) 0–2200 m (0–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NF; SPM; Europe; Asia; Africa
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DE; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SD; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Mexico (s to Puebla)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The Texas populations and some of the northern Mexican populations consistantly have 3 stamens. These populations have been separated as Juncus nodosus var. meridionalis. Plants with 3 stamens are found elsewhere, however, and other significant characters do not appear to separate these populations.

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

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati
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. 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. 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
Synonyms J. nodosus var. meridionalis, J. rostkovii
Name authority Ehrhart: in G. F. Hoffmann, Deutschl. Fl. 1: 125. (1791) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl., ed. 2 1: 466. (1762)
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