FNA: Juncus textilis vs. Juncus xiphioides

	Juncus textilis	Juncus xiphioides
	basket rush, mat or basket rush	iris-leaf rush
Habit	Herbs, perennial, 10–20 dm.	Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 5–9 dm.
Rhizomes	long- creeping.	2–3 mm diam.
Culms	erect, 2–5 mm diam.	erect, 2–6 mm diam.
Cataphylls	several.	0 or 1–2, straw-colored, apex narrowly acute.
Leaves	blade absent.	basal 1–3, cauline 2–6, straw-colored; auricles absent; blade 10–40 cm x (3–)7–12 mm.
Inflorescences	lateral, many flowered, loose; primary bract barely exceeding to many times longer than inflorescence.	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	variously pedicellate; bracteoles membranous; tepals greenish to pale brown, lanceolate, 3.5–5 mm; inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity, usually slightly shorter, margins scarious to clear, acutish; stamens 6, filaments 0.3–0.9 mm, anthers 1–2.5 mm; style 1–1.5 mm.	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	dark brown, 3-locular, oblate to narrowly ovoid, 3–4 mm, nearly equal to perianth.	slightly exserted, chestnut to dark brown, 1-locular, ellipsoid, 2.4–3.8 mm, apex acuminate, not beaked.
Seeds	dark amber, oblate to ellipsoid, 0.5–0.8 mm.	elliptic to obovate, 0.4–0.6 mm, not tailed.
2n		= 40.

	Juncus textilis	Juncus xiphioides
Phenology	Flowering and fruiting summer.	Fruiting early summer–fall.
Habitat	Moist or wet exposed areas	Salt marshes, moist areas, ditches, springs, lake and stream shores
Elevation	100–1800 m (300–5900 ft)	500–1600 m (1600–5200 ft)
Distribution	CA [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	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. Genuini	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. 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. 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. lesueurii var. elatus	J. xiphioides var. auratus, J. xiphioides var. littoralis
Name authority	Buchenau: Abhandlungen herausgegeben vom naturwissenschaftlichen Vereine zu Bremen 17: 336. (1903)	E. Meyer: Synopsis Juncorum 50. (1822)
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Juncus xiphioides

basket rush, mat or basket rush

iris-leaf rush

Habit

Herbs, perennial, 10–20 dm.

Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 5–9 dm.

Rhizomes

long- creeping.

2–3 mm diam.

Culms

erect, 2–5 mm diam.

erect, 2–6 mm diam.

Cataphylls

several.

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

Leaves

blade absent.

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

auricles absent;

blade 10–40 cm x (3–)7–12 mm.

Inflorescences

lateral, many flowered, loose;

primary bract barely exceeding to many times longer than inflorescence.

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

variously pedicellate;

bracteoles membranous;

tepals greenish to pale brown, lanceolate, 3.5–5 mm;

inner series loosely subtending capsule at maturity, usually slightly shorter, margins scarious to clear, acutish;

stamens 6, filaments 0.3–0.9 mm, anthers 1–2.5 mm;

style 1–1.5 mm.

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

dark brown, 3-locular, oblate to narrowly ovoid, 3–4 mm, nearly equal to perianth.

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

Seeds

dark amber, oblate to ellipsoid, 0.5–0.8 mm.

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

= 40.

Juncus xiphioides

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting summer.

Fruiting early summer–fall.

Habitat

Moist or wet exposed areas

Salt marshes, moist areas, ditches, springs, lake and stream shores

Elevation

100–1800 m (300–5900 ft)

500–1600 m (1600–5200 ft)

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

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.

Parent taxa

Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Genuini

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. 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. 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. lesueurii var. elatus

J. xiphioides var. auratus, J. xiphioides var. littoralis

Name authority

Buchenau: Abhandlungen herausgegeben vom naturwissenschaftlichen Vereine zu Bremen 17: 336. (1903)

E. Meyer: Synopsis Juncorum 50. (1822)

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

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Juncus textilis

Juncus xiphioides

Juncus textilis

Juncus xiphioides