FNA: Juncus acutus vs. Juncus secundus

	Juncus acutus	Juncus secundus
	sharp rush, spiny rush	lopside rush
Habit		Herbs, short-lived perennial, cespitose, 1.5–7 dm.
Culms		1–30.
Leaves		basal, (1–)2–3; auricles 0.2–0.4(–0.6) mm, scarious; blade flat, 10–30 cm × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire.
Inflorescences		5–15(–30)-flowered, usually somewhat loose, 1–5 cm; primary bract usually shorter than inflorescence.
Flowers		chiefly along inner side of branches; bracteoles 2; tepals greenish, lanceolate, 3.3–4.4 mm; outer and inner series equal, apex acuminate; stamens 6, filaments 0.5–0.9 mm, anthers 0.4–0.8 mm; style 0.1–0.2 mm.
Capsules		tan or light brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid, (3.3–)3.8–4.7 mm, nearly equal to tepals.
Seeds		tan, ellipsoid to lunate, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm, not tailed.
2n		= ca. 80.

	Juncus acutus	Juncus secundus
Phenology		Flowering and fruiting spring.
Habitat		Exposed sites, usually with well-drained sandy soil, often associated with shallow bedrock
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja Calif); South Africa; Atlantic Islands [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AL; AR; CT; DE; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON [WildflowerSearch map] [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. 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. 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
Name authority	Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 325. (1753)	P.. Beauvois ex Poiret: in J. Lamarck et al., Encyclopedie Methodique. Botanique... Supplement 3: 160. (1813)
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 Web sites: Go Botany, IL Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MO Plants 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 secundus

sharp rush, spiny rush

lopside rush

Habit

Herbs, short-lived perennial, cespitose, 1.5–7 dm.

Culms

1–30.

Leaves

basal, (1–)2–3;

auricles 0.2–0.4(–0.6) mm, scarious;

blade flat, 10–30 cm × 0.5–1 mm, margins entire.

Inflorescences

5–15(–30)-flowered, usually somewhat loose, 1–5 cm;

primary bract usually shorter than inflorescence.

Flowers

chiefly along inner side of branches;

bracteoles 2;

tepals greenish, lanceolate, 3.3–4.4 mm;

outer and inner series equal, apex acuminate;

stamens 6, filaments 0.5–0.9 mm, anthers 0.4–0.8 mm;

style 0.1–0.2 mm.

Capsules

tan or light brown, 3-locular, ellipsoid, (3.3–)3.8–4.7 mm, nearly equal to tepals.

Seeds

tan, ellipsoid to lunate, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm, not tailed.

= ca. 80.

Juncus acutus

Juncus secundus

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting spring.

Habitat

Exposed sites, usually with well-drained sandy soil, often associated with shallow bedrock

Distribution

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

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AL; AR; CT; DE; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON

[WildflowerSearch map]

[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. 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. 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

Name authority

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

P.. Beauvois ex Poiret: in J. Lamarck et al., Encyclopedie Methodique. Botanique... Supplement 3: 160. (1813)

Web links

Local Web sites: Go Botany, IL Wildflowers, LA Plants, MD Biodiversity, MO Plants
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

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Flora of North America species comparison

Juncus acutus

Juncus secundus

Juncus acutus

Juncus secundus