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capitate rush, dwarf rush, leafy-bract dwarf rush

brown-fruit rush, jonc à fruits bruns

Habit Herbs, annual, cespitose, 0.3–1 dm. Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 0.3–7 dm.
Rhizomes

1–3 mm diam., nodes not swollen.

Culms

to 20.

erect, terete, 1–2 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

0 (rarely 1, straw-colored, apex obtuse).

Leaves

basal;

auricles absent;

blade 0.5–2.5 cm × 0.5 mm.

basal 0–2, cauline 1–4, small fascicles of short capillary leaves often on rhizomes and stems;

auricles 0.3–1 mm, apex rounded, membranaceous;

blade terete, 1.5–11 cm × 0.8–1.1 mm.

Inflorescences

glomerules 1–2, each with 2–10(–14) flowers;

bracts subtending inflorescence 1(–2), foliose, clearly surpassing inflorescence.

terminal cymes, flowers single or paired at nodes, (rarely in 3s), 2–25 cm, branches spreading to erect;

primary bract erect.

Flowers

tepals 6, tan to brownish, subulate, lanceolate-ovate, 3.5–4.5(–5) mm, 2 times length of inner tepals, margins scarious;

inner series delicate, shorter, apex acute;

stamens 3, filaments 1 mm, anthers 0.5 mm;

style 0.4–0.7 mm.

tepals straw-colored, oblong;

outer tepals 1.6–2.3 mm, apex obtuse;

inner tepals 1.8–2.8 mm, apex obtuse;

stamens 6, anthers 2–3 times filament length.

Capsules

tan to reddish brown, 3-locular, globose to obovoid, 1.2–1.7 mm, shorter than tepals.

included to exserted, chestnut brown, 1-locular, narrowly ovoid, 1.5–3.5 mm, apex acute proximal to beak, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile only proximal to middle.

Seeds

ellipsoid-ovoid, 0.3–0.4 mm.

ovoid, 0.3–0.5 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

2n

= 18.

= 40.

Juncus capitatus

Juncus pelocarpus

Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring. Fruiting late summer–fall.
Habitat Moist to wet areas, usually in sandy, often disturbed soil such as roadsides or along trails Shores, peat bogs, sandy soils, pools, occasionally submersed in lakes, rarely in salt water
Elevation below 1000 m (below 3300 ft) 0–600 m (0–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; LA; OK; TX; native; Africa (north); Europe; Asia (Near East) [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; VA; VT; WI; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Populations from Virginia and south have been separated as Juncus pelocarpus var. crassicaudex (J. abortivus) based on their taller culms and thicker rhizomes. The evidence used to support the varietal status for the southeastern plants (N. A. Murray and D. M. Johnson 1987) clearly demonstrates that these plants are the southern end of a cline.

The flowers are often replaced by bulbils.

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

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22, p. 245.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Graminifolii Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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
Synonyms J. abortivus, J. pelocarpus var. crassicaudex, J. pelocarpus var. sabulonensis
Name authority Weigel: Observ. Bot. 28. (1772) E. Meyer: Syn. Luzul. 30. (1823)
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