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green head rush

iris-leaf rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 2–4.5 dm. Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 5–9 dm.
Rhizomes

2–3 mm diam.

Culms

erect, terete, 1–3 mm diam., smooth.

erect, 2–6 mm diam.

Cataphylls

1, straw-colored or maroon, apex acute.

0 or 1–2, straw-colored, apex narrowly acute.

Leaves

basal 1–2, cauline 2–3;

auricles 2–3.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade terete, 2–16 cm × 1–2 mm.

basal 1–3, cauline 2–6, straw-colored;

auricles absent;

blade 10–40 cm x (3–)7–12 mm.

Inflorescences

single heads (rarely cluster of 2–3 heads), 0.5–2 cm;

primary bract erect;

heads 15–25-flowered, spheric, 11–14 mm diam.

panicles or racemes of 20–50 heads, 2–14 cm, erect or ascending branches;

primary bract erect;

heads 15–70-flowered, obovoid to globose, 7–11 mm diam.

Flowers

tepals light green to light pink or white, lanceolate, 3.1–4.2 mm, apex obtuse;

stamens 6, anthers 2–3 times filament length.

tepals green to brown or reddish brown, lanceolate, 2.4–3.7 mm, nearly equal, apex acuminate;

stamens 6;

anthers ½1/2 to equal filament length.

Capsules

included, straw-colored, 1-locular, broadly obovoid to ovoid, 2.2–2.5 mm, apex obtuse, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle.

slightly exserted, chestnut to dark brown, 1-locular, ellipsoid, 2.4–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, not beaked.

Seeds

oblong, 0.5 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

elliptic to obovate, 0.4–0.6 mm, not tailed.

2n

= 40.

Juncus chlorocephalus

Juncus xiphioides

Phenology Fruiting mid summer–fall. Fruiting early summer–fall.
Habitat Sandbars, meadows, damp soil in rock outcrops, and talus Salt marshes, moist areas, ditches, springs, lake and stream shores
Elevation 1400–3000 m (4600–9800 ft) 500–1600 m (1600–5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

This species and the next (Juncus ensifolius) are closely related and have been treated as members of a single species (J. xiphioides) by Engelmann. Until a study of the complete subgenus is done, we are hesitant to use a varietal name (J. xiphioides var. triandrus) for the widespread western taxon J. ensifolius.

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

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Ensifolii
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. capitatus, J. castaneus, 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. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi
Synonyms J. xiphioides var. auratus, J. xiphioides var. littoralis
Name authority Engelmann E. Meyer: Synopsis Juncorum 50. (1822)
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