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rush family

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. Herbs, perennial, occasionally annual, usually rhizomatous, orsometimes cespitose.
Culms

round or flat.

Stems

terete.

Leaves

basal;

blade terete, not septate.

mostly basal;

sheath margins fused or overlapping, often with 2 earlike extensions (auricles) at blade junction;

blade flat or round, glabrous or margins hairy.

Inflorescences

terminal (sometimes appearing lateral) panicles of few to many heads, sympodial;

bracteoles absent proximal to perianth.

of headlike clusters or single flowers variously arranged;

bracts subtending inflorescence 1 or more2, mostly leaflike;

bracts subtending inflorescence branches 1–2, reduced;

bracteoles subtending solitary flower 0–2, translucent, reduced.

Flowers

in few-flowered heads.

usually bisexual, radially symmetric;

sepals and petals similar, persistent, green to brown or purplish black;

stamens usually 3 or 6;

anthers persistent, linear;

pistils 1;

ovaries superior, locules 1 or 3, placentas 1 and basal or 3 and axile or parietal;

stigmas generally longer than styles.

Fruits

capsules, loculicidal.

Capsules

3-locular or pseudo-3-locular.

Seeds

usually tailed (not tailed in J. roemerianus).

3–many, often with white appendages on 1 or both ends.

Juncus subg. Juncus

Juncaceae

Distribution
Worldwide; coastal in North America
Arctic and temperate regions; tropical mountains
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 9 (4 in the flora).

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

Genera 9, species ca. 350 (2 genera, 1108 species in the flora).

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

Key
1. Capsules 3.5–5 mm; plants of sw United States.
→ 2
1. Capsules less than 3.5 mm, shorter than or nearly equal to perianth; plants of ne United States Atlantic Coast.
→ 3
2. Capsules nearly globose, obviously longer than perianth
J. acutus subsp. leopoldii
2. Capsules ellipsoid, nearly equal to or shorter than perianth
J. cooperi
3. Capsules nearly equal to perianth; seeds tailed
J. maritimus
3. Capsules distinctly shorter than perianth; seed not tailed
J. roemerianus
1. Leaves glabrous, sheaths open; fruits 1- or 3-chambered; seeds many
Juncus
1. Leaves generally with hairy margins; fruits 1-chambered; seeds 3
Luzula
Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22, p. 211. Authors: Ralph E. Brooks, Steven E. Clemants.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus
Subordinate taxa
J. acutus subsp. leopoldii, J. cooperi, J. maritimus, J. roemerianus
Juncus, Luzula
Synonyms J. section Acuti, J. section Juncastrum, J. section Maritimi, J. section Thalassii, J. subg. Juncastrum, J. subg. Thalassii
Name authority unknown A. L. Jussieu
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