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fork wood rush

Wahlenberg's wood rush

Rhizomes

thick.

short.

Culms

densely cespitose, reddish, 6–30 cm × 2 mm.

cespitose, 15–30(–35) cm.

Leaves

basal leaves numerous, blade to 20 cm × 4–6 mm, sometimes longer than stem, apex long-pointed to 12 mm, mostly glabrous;

cauline leaves 2–3.

sheath throat acutely angled, pilose;

basal leaf blade 5–10 cm × 3–8 mm, apex short acuminate, mostly glabrous;

cauline leaves (1–)2–4, 3–5 cm × 2–4 mm.

Inflorescences

5–15 cm, width 1/2 to equaling length;

branches widely spreading to 90°, stiff, not drooping;

proximal bract inconspicuous, less than 2 cm;

bracts and bracteoles clear, margins slightly lacerate, often with a few cilia.

anthelate, few flowered;

main branches generally 2–4, spreading less than 90°, lax, usually arching;

proximal inflorescence bract 1 cm or less;

bracts and bracteoles brown;

margins with long curly cilia.

Flowers

solitary;

tepals pale brown with reddish tint, 1.8–2.4 mm, apex reflexed, long-acuminate;

outer whorl slightly longer than inner whorl;

anthers ± equaling filaments;

stigmas 3 times style length.

solitary on short pedicels;

tepals dark purplish brown (margins finely lacerate toward apex), 2–2.5 mm, margins finely lacerate toward apex, apex acute, not reflexed;

anthers ± equaling filament length;

stigmas 2 times style length.

Capsules

deep reddish brown, shorter to slightly longer than tepals.

dark brown, less than 2.5 mm, slightly longer than tepals;

beak absent.

Seeds

light brown, 1.2 mm.

dark reddish brown, cylindric, 1.2–1.6 mm;

caruncle essentially absent.

2n

= 24.

Luzula divaricata

Luzula wahlenbergii

Phenology Flowering and fruiting summer. Flowering and fruiting late summer.
Habitat Subalpine forest to alpine granitic slopes Wet mossy arctic and alpine tundra, lake shores, alluvial rivers, shores of alpine creeks, gneissic seashores
Elevation 2100–3700 m (6900–12100 ft) 40–600 m (100–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; BC; MB; NT; NU; QC; YT; Greenland; Eurasia
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Discussion

The culms of Luzula divaricata are reddish colored.

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

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Juncaceae > Luzula > subg. Anthelaea Juncaceae > Luzula > subg. Anthelaea
Sibling taxa
L. acuminata, L. arctica, L. arcuata, L. bulbosa, L. campestris, L. comosa, L. confusa, L. echinata, L. groenlandica, L. hitchcockii, L. kjellmaniana, L. luzuloides, L. multiflora, L. orestera, L. pallidula, L. parviflora, L. piperi, L. rufescens, L. spicata, L. subcapitata, L. subcongesta, L. wahlenbergii
L. acuminata, L. arctica, L. arcuata, L. bulbosa, L. campestris, L. comosa, L. confusa, L. divaricata, L. echinata, L. groenlandica, L. hitchcockii, L. kjellmaniana, L. luzuloides, L. multiflora, L. orestera, L. pallidula, L. parviflora, L. piperi, L. rufescens, L. spicata, L. subcapitata, L. subcongesta
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14:302. (1879) Ruprecht: Fl. Samojed. Cisural. 58. (1845)
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