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iris-leaf rush

small-head rush

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 5–9 dm. Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 2–7 dm.
Rhizomes

2–3 mm diam.

Culms

erect, 2–6 mm diam.

erect, 1–4 mm diam., smooth.

Cataphylls

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

1–2, straw-colored to pink, apex acute.

Leaves

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

auricles absent;

blade 10–40 cm x (3–)7–12 mm.

basal 1–3, cauline 1–2;

auricles 0.6–1.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious;

blade terete to compressed, 0.2–12 cm × 0.5–2 mm.

Inflorescences

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.

panicles of 5–80 heads, 5–25 cm, branches ascending;

primary bract erect;

heads 2–6-flowered, ellipsoid to obovoid, 2–5 mm diam.

Flowers

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.

tepals green to light brown, lanceolate;

outer tepals 1.8–2.5 mm, apex obtuse to nearly acute;

inner tepals 2–2.8 mm, apex obtuse to nearly acute;

stamens 3 or 6, anthers 1/2 filament length.

Capsules

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

exserted, chestnut to dark brown, imperfectly 3-locular, obconic, 2.4–3.8 mm, apex acute proximal to beak, valves separating at dehiscence.

Seeds

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

ellipsoid to fusiform, 0.8–1.2 mm, tailed;

body covered with whitish translucent veil.

2n

= 40.

= 80.

Juncus xiphioides

Juncus brachycephalus

Phenology Fruiting early summer–fall. Fruiting summer–early fall.
Habitat Salt marshes, moist areas, ditches, springs, lake and stream shores Calcareous marshes, wet meadows, and wetland shores
Elevation 500–1600 m (1600–5200 ft) 100–200 m (300–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CO; CT; GA; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; NB; NS; ON; QC;
[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. Ensifolii 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. torreyi, J. trifidus, J. triformis, J. triglumis, J. trigonocarpus, J. uncialis, J. validus, J. vaseyi
J. acuminatus, J. acutiflorus, J. acutus, J. alpinoarticulatus, J. anthelatus, J. arcticus, J. articulatus, J. biglumis, J. bolanderi, J. brachycarpus, 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, J. xiphioides
Synonyms J. xiphioides var. auratus, J. xiphioides var. littoralis J. canadensis var. brachycephalus
Name authority E. Meyer: Synopsis Juncorum 50. (1822) (Engelmann) Buchenau: Botanische Jahrbucher fur Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 12: 268. (1890)
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