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leopold's rush, sharp rush, wire grass

Habit Herbs, perennial, robust, tufted, often forming clumps to 1 m diam., 6–12 dm.
Culms

3–4 mm diam.

Cataphylls

1–2.

Leaves

basal, 2–4;

sheaths brownish, inflated;

auricles absent or prolonged 1–3 mm, cartilaginous;

blade terete, 30–100 dcm × 2–3 mm.

Inflorescences

sympodial or appearing lateral, glomerules numerous, each with 2–5 flowers, branches unequal, 5–20 cm;

primary bract inflated, usually shorter than inflorescence.

Flowers

tepals straw-colored, brown-tipped, 2–4 mm;

outer tepals widely lanceolate, margins scarious, apex obtuse to acutish;

inner tepals rounded, shorter;

stamens 6, filaments 0.2–0.4 mm, anthers 1.2–1.8 mm;

style 1–1.2 mm.

Capsules

yellow-brown, pseudo-3-locular, nearly globose, 3.5–5 × 2.4–3.3 mm, obviously exceeding perianth, mucronate.

Seeds

brownish, obliquely obovoid, body 0.6–0.7 mm, tails 0.2–0.3 mm.

Juncus acutus subsp. leopoldii

Phenology Flowering and fruiting late spring–summer.
Habitat Moist saline habitats and alkaline seeps
Elevation below 300 m (below 1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja California); South Africa; Atlantic Islands
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Juncus > Juncus acutus
Synonyms J. leopoldii, J. acutus var. sphaerocarpus, J. acutus var. sphaerocarpus, J. robusta
Name authority (Parlatore) Snogerup: Bot. Not. 131: 187. (1978)
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