FNA: Juncus acutus vs. Juncus trigonocarpus

	Juncus acutus	Juncus trigonocarpus
	sharp rush, spiny rush	redpod rush
Habit		Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 5–10 dm.
Culms		erect, 2–5 mm diam., smooth.
Cataphylls		1–2, straw-colored, apex rounded.
Leaves		basal 0–1, cauline 2–3; auricles 0.2–0.4 mm, apex obtuse, leathery; blade terete, 2.5–22 cm × 1.3–4 mm, smooth.
Inflorescences		panicles of 30–100 heads, 3–9 cm, stiffly erect or ascending branches; primary bract erect; heads 2–8-flowered, obconic, 4–8 mm diam.
Flowers		tepals green to reddish brown, lanceolate; outer tepals 2.5–2.8 mm, acuminate; inner tepals 2.8–3.5 mm, acute; stamens 3–6, anthers 1/2 filament length.
Capsules		exserted, chestnut brown, 3-locular, ovoid-pyramidal, 4–5 mm, apex acuminate, valves separating at dehiscence..
Seeds		fusiform, 1.8–2.6 mm, tailed; body covered with whitish.
Translucent		veil.

	Juncus acutus	Juncus trigonocarpus
Phenology		Fruiting early fall–early winter (fruit often persisting until spring).
Habitat		Wet pinewoods, pine barrens, bogs, hammocks, roadsides, and seepy areas
Elevation		0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution	AZ; CA; NV; South America; Mexico (Baja Calif); South Africa; Atlantic Islands [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX [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. Septati
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. 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. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides
Subordinate taxa	J. acutus subsp. leopoldii
Synonyms		J. caudatus
Name authority	Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 325. (1753)	Steudel: Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 308. (1855)
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: LA 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 trigonocarpus

sharp rush, spiny rush

redpod rush

Habit

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 5–10 dm.

Culms

erect, 2–5 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

1–2, straw-colored, apex rounded.

Leaves

basal 0–1, cauline 2–3;

auricles 0.2–0.4 mm, apex obtuse, leathery;

blade terete, 2.5–22 cm × 1.3–4 mm, smooth.

Inflorescences

panicles of 30–100 heads, 3–9 cm, stiffly erect or ascending branches;

primary bract erect;

heads 2–8-flowered, obconic, 4–8 mm diam.

Flowers

tepals green to reddish brown, lanceolate;

outer tepals 2.5–2.8 mm, acuminate;

inner tepals 2.8–3.5 mm, acute;

stamens 3–6, anthers 1/2 filament length.

Capsules

exserted, chestnut brown, 3-locular, ovoid-pyramidal, 4–5 mm, apex acuminate, valves separating at dehiscence..

Seeds

fusiform, 1.8–2.6 mm, tailed;

body covered with whitish.

Translucent

veil.

Juncus acutus

Juncus trigonocarpus

Phenology

Fruiting early fall–early winter (fruit often persisting until spring).

Habitat

Wet pinewoods, pine barrens, bogs, hammocks, roadsides, and seepy areas

Elevation

0–200 m (0–700 ft)

Distribution

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

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX

[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. Septati

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. 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. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides

Subordinate taxa

J. acutus subsp. leopoldii

Synonyms

J. caudatus

Name authority

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

Steudel: Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 308. (1855)

Web links

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 trigonocarpus

Juncus acutus

Juncus trigonocarpus