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sharpflower rush

prairie rush, slender juncus, western rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, to 8 dm. Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 3–6 dm.
Rhizomes

5–6 mm diam., nodes not swollen.

densely branching.

Culms

erect, terete, 3 mm diam., smooth.

few–20.

Cataphylls

1, straw-colored, 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–)2–3;

auricles 0.5–1(–1.5) mm, apex acutish, membranous;

blade flat, 5–15 cm × 0.5–1.3 mm, margins entire.

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.

5–50-flowered, somewhat loose, 1–7 cm;

primary bract usually longer than inflorescence.

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.

bracteoles 2;

tepals greenish, lanceolate, (3.5–)5 mm;

outer and inner series nearly equal;

stamens 6, filaments 0.5–1 mm, anthers 0.1–0.3 mm;

style 0.1–0.2 mm.

Capsules

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

light brown, 1-locular to pseudo-3-locular, ellipsoid, (3–)5–4.5 × 1.2–1.8 mm, nearly equal to shorter than tepals.

Seeds

narrowly ovoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

tan, ellipsoid to lunate, 5.5–0.7 mm, not tailed.

2n

= 80.

Juncus acutiflorus

Juncus occidentalis

Phenology Fruiting fall. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Wet woods Moist, usually exposed sites in clayey or sandy soil around springs, along rivers and streams, and around lakes
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft) below 2300 m (below 7500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NF; SPM; Europe; Asia; Africa
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Juncus occidentalis should perhaps be considered a robust variant of J. tenuis.

(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. Poiophylli
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. nodosus, 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. tenuis var. occidentalis, J. tenuis var. congestus
Name authority Ehrhart: in G. F. Hoffmann, Deutschl. Fl. 1: 125. (1791) (Coville) Wiegand: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 521. (1900)
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