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Torrey's rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, (3–)4–10 dm.
Rhizomes

1–3 mm diam., with swollen nodes.

Culms

erect, terete, 3–5 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

0.

Leaves

basal 1–3, cauline 2–5, auricles 1–4 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade strawberry-colored, green, or pink, terete, 13–30 cm × 1–5 mm.

Inflorescences

terminal clusters of 1–23 heads or single heads, 2–5.5 cm, branches spreading;

primary bract erect to ascending;

heads 25–100-flowered, globose, 10–15 mm diam.

Flowers

tepals green to straw-colored, occasionally reddish, lanceolate-subulate;

outer tepals (3.7–)4–6 mm, apex acuminate;

inner tepals (3–) 3.4–4.6 mm, apex acuminate;

stamens 6, anthers 1/2 filament length.

Capsules

equaling perianth or slightly exserted, straw-colored or chestnut brown, 1-locular, lance-subulate, 4.3–5.7 mm, apex tapering to subulate tip, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle.

Seeds

oblong to ellipsoid, 0.4–0.5 mm, not tailed;

body clear yellow-brown.

2n

= 40.

Juncus torreyi

Phenology Fruiting early summer–fall.
Habitat Wet sandy shores, edges of sloughs, along slightly alkaline watercourses, swamps, sometimes on clay soils, calcareous wet meadows, and alkaline soils
Elevation 0–600
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; ON; QC; SK; Mexico (Baja California, probably elsewhere in n Mexico)
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[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Juncus > subg. Septati
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. textilis, J. tiehmii, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi, J. xiphioides
Synonyms J. nodosus var. megacephalus, J.uncus megacephalus, J.uncus nodosus var. megacephalus, J.uncus megacephalus
Name authority Coville: Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 22:303. (1895)
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