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weak rush

falcate rush, sickle-leaf rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 1–2.5 dm. Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 0.5–3 dm.
Culms

erect, terete, 1–2 mm diam., smooth.

erect, slightly compressed.

Cataphylls

0–1, maroon or dark green, apex acute.

Leaves

basal 0–1, cauline 1–3;

auricles 1–1.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade maroon or dark green, terete, 1–12.5 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm.

basal 2–4, cauline 1–3;

auricles absent or rudimentary;

blade flat, 4–15 cm × 1.5–3 mm.

Inflorescences

terminal panicles of 3–50 heads, 2–8 cm, branches ascending to spreading;

primary bract erect;

heads 2–10-flowered, obpyramidal, 2–5 mm diam.

glomerules, (1–)2–5, each with 2–15 flowers, open or aggregate;

primary bract usually exceeding inflorescence.

Flowers

tepals green to straw-colored, lanceolate, 1.8–2.3(–2.5) mm, apex sharply acuminate;

stamens 3, 1/2 filament length.

tepals brown, ovate-lanceolate, 4.5–6 mm, margins scarious, minutely papillate;

inner series slightly shorter.

Capsules

exserted, straw-colored, 1-locular, narrowly ellipsoid to lanceoloid, 2.8–3.7 7(–4.2) mm, apex acute, valves separating at dehiscence.

brown, 3-locular, obovoid, 3–5 mm, shorter than perianth.

Seeds

ellipsoid, 0.3–0.4 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

ovoid to pyriform, 0.7 mm, not tailed.

Juncus debilis

Juncus falcatus

Phenology Fruiting summer.
Habitat Marshy shores, in small streams, swamps, wet clearings, spring runs, commonly in very soft mucky substrates
Elevation 0–700 m (0–2300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; IL; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; Mexicos (Chiapas); Central America (Honduras)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; OR; WA; BC; Pacific Islands
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Juncus debilis A. Gray is a name being proposed for conservation.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Filaments much shorter than anthers
var. falcatus
1. Filaments ca. as long as anthers
var. sitchensis
Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Graminifolii
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. chlorocephalus, J. compressus, J. confusus, J. cooperi, J. coriaceus, J. covillei, 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
J. falcatus var. falcatus, J. falcatus var. sitchensis
Synonyms J. acuminatus var. debilis, J. radicans
Name authority A. Gray: Manual 481506. (1848) E. Meyer: Syn. Luzul. 34. (1823)
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