FNA: Juncus acutus vs. Juncus lesueurii

	Juncus acutus	Juncus lesueurii
	sharp rush, spiny rush	Lesueur's rush, salt rush
Habit		Herbs, perennial, 3–14 dm.
Rhizomes		long- creeping.
Culms		erect, 1–3 mm diam.
Cataphylls		several.
Leaves		blade absent.
Inflorescences		lateral, 3–many-flowered, mostly loose; primary bract much longer than inflorescence.
Flowers		variously pedicellate; bracteoles membranous; tepals green, lanceolate, 5–8 mm, margins brown; inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity, usually slightly shorter, margins scarious to clear, acutish; stamens 6, filaments 0.2–1.1 mm, anthers 0.9–2.3 mm; style 1–1.5 mm.
Capsules		3-locular, oblate to narrowly ovoid, 4–7 mm, shorter than or nearly equal to perianth.
Seeds		dark amber, oblate to ellipsoid, 0.4–0.7 mm.

	Juncus acutus	Juncus lesueurii
Phenology		Flowering and fruiting summer.
Habitat		Borders of salt or freshwater marshes and usually near dunes along the coast
Elevation		0–500 m (0–1600 ft)
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja Calif); South Africa; Atlantic Islands [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	CA; OR; WA; BC [WildflowerSearch 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. Genuini
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. 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. 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. balticus subsp. pacificus, J. lesueurii var. tracyi
Name authority	Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 325. (1753)	Bolander: Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 2: 179. 1863 (as leseurii)
Web links	Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Juncus acutus

Juncus lesueurii

sharp rush, spiny rush

Lesueur's rush, salt rush

Habit

Herbs, perennial, 3–14 dm.

Rhizomes

long- creeping.

Culms

erect, 1–3 mm diam.

Cataphylls

several.

Leaves

blade absent.

Inflorescences

lateral, 3–many-flowered, mostly loose;

primary bract much longer than inflorescence.

Flowers

variously pedicellate;

bracteoles membranous;

tepals green, lanceolate, 5–8 mm, margins brown;

inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity, usually slightly shorter, margins scarious to clear, acutish;

stamens 6, filaments 0.2–1.1 mm, anthers 0.9–2.3 mm;

style 1–1.5 mm.

Capsules

3-locular, oblate to narrowly ovoid, 4–7 mm, shorter than or nearly equal to perianth.

Seeds

dark amber, oblate to ellipsoid, 0.4–0.7 mm.

Juncus acutus

Juncus lesueurii

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting summer.

Habitat

Borders of salt or freshwater marshes and usually near dunes along the coast

Elevation

0–500 m (0–1600 ft)

Distribution

AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja Calif); South Africa; Atlantic Islands

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

CA; OR; WA; BC

[WildflowerSearch 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. Genuini

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. 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. 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. balticus subsp. pacificus, J. lesueurii var. tracyi

Name authority

Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 325. (1753)

Bolander: Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 2: 179. 1863 (as leseurii)

Web links

Local floras: CA, OR
Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database
LBJ Wildflower Center
SEINet
Plants of the World Online
Encyclopedia of Life
Wikipedia
Google Image Search

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America, OregonFlora

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Flora of North America species comparison

Juncus acutus

Juncus lesueurii

Juncus acutus

Juncus lesueurii