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sharpflower rush

somewhat-tail rush, woodland rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, to 8 dm. Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 1.5–6 dm.
Rhizomes

5–6 mm diam., nodes not swollen.

Culms

erect, terete, 3 mm diam., smooth.

erect, 1–3 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

1, straw-colored, apex acute.

0–1, 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, cauline 1–3;

auricles 0.5–1 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade terete, 4.5–15 cm × 1–2 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 3–35 heads, 2–16 cm, branches widely spreading (at least the proximalmost);

primary bract erect;

heads 2–10(–20)-flowered, obconic to nearly spheric, 3–9 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 greenish, becoming straw-colored, lanceolate;

outer tepals 1.8–3 mm, apex acuminate;

inner tepals 2–3.2 mm, apex acuminate;

stamens 3, anthers 1/3 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, straw-colored, imperfectly 3-locular, ovoid to prismatic, 3–3.8 mm, apex acute proximal to beak, valves separating at dehiscence.

Seeds

narrowly ovoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

ellipsoid, 0.7–1.2 mm, tailed;

body covered with whitish translucent veil.

Juncus acutiflorus

Juncus subcaudatus

Phenology Fruiting fall. Fruiting late summer–fall.
Habitat Wet woods Stream banks, lake and pond shores, bogs, and other wet places
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft) 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NF; SPM; Europe; Asia; Africa
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; GA; IL; KY; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; WV; NF; NS
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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. 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. 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. canadensis var. subcaudatus, J. subcaudatus var. planisepalus
Name authority Ehrhart: in G. F. Hoffmann, Deutschl. Fl. 1: 125. (1791) (Engelmann) Coville & S. F. Blake: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 31: 45. (1918)
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