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Photo is of parent taxon

common woodrush, many-flower wood-rush

rush family

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

round or flat.

Leaves

mostly basal;

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

blade flat or round, glabrous or margins hairy.

Cauline leaves

2–3, not or only barely overlapping;

proximal inflorescence bract equal to barely exceeding inflorescence.

Inflorescences

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

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

pale to brown, shorter than tepals.

Seeds

1.1–1.5 mm;

caruncle 0.3–0.6 mm.

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

Tepals

outer and inner whorl straw-colored to brown, 2.8-3.6 mm, apex pointed.

2n

= 24.

Luzula multiflora subsp. multiflora

Juncaceae

Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–summer.
Habitat Sparsely scattered in fields, meadows, open woods, ditches and clearings
Elevation 50–800 m (200–2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SD; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; SPM; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Arctic and temperate regions; tropical mountains
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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

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

Key
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 > Luzula > subg. Luzula > Luzula multiflora
Sibling taxa
L. multiflora subsp. frigida, L. multiflora subsp. kobayasii
Subordinate taxa
Juncus, Luzula
Synonyms L. multiflora var. acadiensis
Name authority unknown A. L. Jussieu
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