Juncus debilis |
Juncus leiospermus |
|
---|---|---|
weak rush |
dwarf rush, red bluff dwarf rush, smooth-seed rush |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 1–2.5 dm. | Herbs, annual, cespitose, 0.2–1.2 dm. |
Culms | erect, terete, 1–2 mm diam., smooth. |
to 100, (0.2–)0.4–0.8 mm diam.. |
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. |
1/3–3/4 height of plant. |
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. |
terminal clusters, each with 1–7 flowers; bracts subtending inflorescence 2–8, round to acutely ovate, inconspicuous, 0.7–2.4 mm, membranous. |
Flowers | tepals green to straw-colored, lanceolate, 1.8–2.3(–2.5) mm, apex sharply acuminate; stamens 3, 1/2 filament length. |
tepals reddish to black, narrowly lanceolate to oblong, 2–4.6 × 0.5–1.4 mm; inner series usually slightly longer than outer, apex obtuse to acuminate; stamens 3, filaments 0.5–1.4 mm, anthers 1–3.2 mm; style persistent, 1.4–4 mm, stigma 1.3–4 mm. |
Capsules | exserted, straw-colored, 1-locular, narrowly ellipsoid to lanceoloid, 2.8–3.7 7(–4.2) mm, apex acute, valves separating at dehiscence. |
reddish, 3-locular, globose to ellipsoid or oblong, 2–4.5 × 1–3 mm, nearly equal to sepals. |
Seeds | ellipsoid, 0.3–0.4 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown. |
ovoid, 0.35–0.45 mm. |
n | = 16. |
|
Juncus debilis |
Juncus leiospermus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Flowering and fruiting in spring. |
Habitat | Marshy shores, in small streams, swamps, wet clearings, spring runs, commonly in very soft mucky substrates | Margins of vernal pools |
Elevation | 0–700 m (0–2300 ft) | 0–500 m (0–1600 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; IL; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; Mexicos (Chiapas); Central America (Honduras)
|
CA
|
Discussion | Juncus debilis A. Gray is a name being proposed for conservation. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Plants from Butte and Calaveras Ccounties, California, tend to be smaller and consistently develop only one flower per culm; they may be recognized as Juncus leiospermus var. ahartii Ertter. Of conservation concern. (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. Graminifolii |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | J. acuminatus var. debilis, J. radicans | J. leiospermus var. ahartii |
Name authority | A. Gray: Manual 481506. (1848) | F. J. Hermann: Leaflets of Western Botany 5: 113. (1948) |
Web links |