Juncus alpinoarticulatus |
Juncus capillaris |
|
---|---|---|
alpine rush, northern green rush, northern rush |
hair-stem dwarf rush, hair-stem rush, hairystem dwarf rush, slender stem dwarf rush |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 0.5–5 dm. | Herbs, annual, cespitose, 0.09–0.6 dm. |
Rhizomes | 2–4 mm diam., not swollen. |
|
Culms | erect, terete, 1–3 mm diam., smooth. |
to 20. |
Cataphylls | 0–1, straw-colored or maroon, apex acute. |
|
Leaves | basal 0–2, cauline 1–2(–5); auricles 0.5–1.2 mm, apex rounded, scarious; blade green to straw-colored, terete, 1.5–12 cm × 0.5–1.1 mm. |
to 2.2 cm. |
Inflorescences | terminal panicles of 5–25 heads, 3–11 cm, branches erect to ascending; primary bract erect; heads 2–10-flowered, obpyramidal, usually with some flowers short- pedicellateled, 2–6 mm in diam. |
headlike clusters, each with 1–2 flowers; bracts subtending inflorescence 2–4, ovate, inconspicuous, 0.8–1.5 mm, membranous, apex acute. |
Flowers | tepals greenish to straw-colored, lanceolate to oblong; outer tepals 1.8–3 mm, apex obtuse, mucronate; inner tepals 1.6–2.7 mm, apex obtuse; stamens 6, anthers 1/2 filament length. |
tepals 4–6, chestnut brown to black, 1.8–2.8 × 0.8–1.5 mm; inner series usually slightly longer than outer, apex acuminate to attenuate; stamens 2–3, filaments 0.6–1.1 mm, anthers 0.3–0.4 mm; style 0.1–0.3 mm, stigma 0.4–0.6 mm. |
Capsules | equaling perianth to usually exserted, chestnut brown to straw-colored, imperfectly 3-locular, oblong to oblong-ovoid, 2.3–3.5 mm, apex obtuse, valves separating at dehiscence. |
tan or apex reddish, 2– or 3-locular, globose to obovoid, 1.2–2 × 1.1–1.5 mm, usually shorter than tepals. |
Seeds | oblong to ovoid, 0.5–0.7 mm, not tailed. |
ellipsoid-ovoid, 0.5–0.8 mm. |
n | = 18. |
|
2n | = 40. |
|
Juncus alpinoarticulatus |
Juncus capillaris |
|
Phenology | Fruiting mid summer–fall. | Flowering spring–mid summer. |
Habitat | Wet meadows, sandy and gravelly, often calcareous shores, fens, and clayey pools over rock | Moist, bare flats, short turf, and mossy areas in meadows, stream banks, and seepage areas on outcrops (usually granite) |
Elevation | 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft) | 1200–3200 m (3900–10500 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; CO; IA; ID; IL; IN; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NY; OH; PA; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; ; Eurasia
|
CA; OR |
Discussion | Several attempts have been made to separate subspecies or varieties of this widespread and variable species. In one study, five varieties were recognized, with four in North America (B. Lindquist 1932) . In another, at least six subspecies were recognized with two in North America (L. Hämet-Ahti 1986). The variation we.have encountered does not fit nicely into the subspecies Hämet-Ahti has recognized, and until a full account of the variation throughout the range of the species is presented, we are not recognizing subspecific or varietal divisions of this species. Recent evidence suggests that this species may be one of the parents of the tetraploid Juncus articulatus. Juncus alpinus hybridizes with J. brevicaudatus (= J. × gracilescens J. Hermann), J. articulatus (= J. × alpiniformis Fernald), J. nodosus (= J. × nodosiformis Fernald), and J. torreyi (= JuncusJ. ×stuckeyi Reinking). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Juncus capillaris occurs in California in the Sierra Nevada and in Oregon in the Steens Mountains. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 22, p. 254. | FNA vol. 22. |
Parent taxa | Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati | Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Graminifolii |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | J. alpinus, J.. alpinoarticulatus subsp. americanus, J.. alpinoarticulatus subsp. fuscescens, J.. alpinus var. americanus, J.. alpinus, J.. alpinus var. fuscescens, J.. alpinus var. insignis, J.. alpinus subsp. nodulosus, J.. alpinus var. rariflorus, J.. nodulosus, J.. rariflorus, J.. richardsonianus | |
Name authority | Chaix: in D. Villars, Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 1: 378. (1786) | F. J. Hermann: Leaflets of Western Botany 5: 116. (1948) |
Web links |