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sharp rush, spiny rush

short leaf rush, tuftedstem rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, to 8 dm.
Rhizomes

densely branching.

Cataphylls

1–2.

Leaves

basal, 2–5;

auricles 0.4–1.1(–2) mm, scarious;

blade flat, 9–25 cm × 0.8–1.5(–2.4) mm, margins entire wide, becoming involute under xeric conditions.

Inflorescences

10–150-flowered, usually congested, 1.5–8 cm;

primary bract usually longer than inflorescence.

Flowers

bracteoles 2;

tepals green to tannish, lanceolate, 3.5–5.7 mm;

outer and inner series nearly equal, in fruit apex appressed to capsule;

stamens 6, filaments 0.6–1.1 mm, anthers 0.56–0.91 mm;

style 0.2 mm.

Capsules

dark tan to reddish brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid to narrowly so, 2.6–4.7 × 1.3–2 mm, barely shorter than tepals.

Seeds

tan, ellipsoid to lunate, (0.32–)0.45–0.52(–0.65) mm, not tailed.

2n

= ca. 80.

Juncus acutus

Juncus brachyphyllus

Phenology Flowering and fruiting late spring–early summer.
Habitat Exposed moist or wet soils associated with depressions in temporal wetlands, along stream banks or lake shores especially in sandy soils
Elevation 900–1650 m (3000–5400 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja Calif); South Africa; Atlantic Islands
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; CA; ID; KS; LA; MO; MT; NE; OK; OR; WA; Texas
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (1 in the flora).

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

Source FNA vol. 22, p. 237. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Juncus Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Poiophylli
Sibling taxa
J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
J. acutus subsp. leopoldii
Synonyms J. kansanus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 325. (1753) Wiegand: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 519. (1900)
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