446 
Capsule linear-lanceolate, twice as long as the perianth,. 
J. DLFFUSISSIMUS, 
Capsule oblong or ovate, equaling or barely exceeding the perianth. 
Capsule narrowly acute ....-...-.2--..---------22--- J. ACUMINATUS. 
Capsule obtuse or broadly acute. 
Capsule light brown to stramineous at 
maturity, obtuse.............222222--. J. ACUMINATUS ROBUSTUS. 
Capsule chestnut brown, broadly acute .............-.- J. ELLIOTTIL 
Group I. POIOPHYLLI Buch. 
Flowers prophyllate, inserted singly on the branches of the inflor- 
escence; leaf-blades gramineous, or terete and channeled along the 
upper side, not septate. 
* Leaves flat. 
1. J. bufonius L. Sp. Pl. i, 328 (1753). Plant annual, branching from, the base, 
erect, seldom exceeding 20 cm. in height, the stems in larger plants with one or two 
leaves below the inflorescence: leat-blade 0.2 to 1 mm. wide, in the larger plants flat, in 
depauperate ones filiform-involute: inflorescence about one-half as high as the plant; 
flowers inserted singly on its branches, in one abnormal form fasciculate: perianth 
parts 4 to 7 mm. long, lanceolate, acuminate: stamens usually 6, sometimes 3, seldom 
half as long as the perianth; the anther shorter than the filament: capsule about 
two-thirds as long as the perianth, narrowly oblong, obtuse, mucronate, 3-celled: 
seed broadly oblong, with straight apiculations, 0.35 to 0.5 mm, long, finely reticulated in 
30 to 40 longitudinal rows, the areolw broader than long.—Occasional throughout the 
State, the only annual Juncus of Texas. ° 
2. J. tenuis Willd. Sp. Pl. ii, 214 (1799). Plant perennial, closely tufted, 20 to 70 
em. high: leaves all basal, except those of the inflorescence; blades flat, 0.5 to 1.5 mm. 
wide, sometimes involute in drying: inflorescence exceeding or exceeded by its lowest 
leaf, rarely reaching one-fourth the height of the plant: perianth 3.5 to 5 mm, long, 
its parts lanceolate, acuminate: stamens 6, about one-half as long as the perianth; 
the anthers shorter than the filaments: capsules usually about one-fifth shorter than 
the perianth, ovate to obovate, obtuse, mucronate, 3-celled: seeds 0.4 to 0.55 mm. in 
length, narrowly oblong, with oblique apiculations, reticulated in about 76 longitud- 
inal rows, the aveole two or three times broader than long.—Common in the humid reg- 
ions of Texas, rarer westward. 
* Leaves terete, channeled. 
3. J. dichotomus Ell. Bot. 8. C. i, 406 (1517). Plant perennial, closely tufted, 
30 to 90 cm. high: leaves all basal except those of the inflorescence; blades terete, 
channeled along the upper side: inflorescence and flowers as characterized in the last 
species: seed oblong, obliquely apiculate, 0.35 to 0.45 mm. long, reticulated in about 
13 longitudinial rows, the smooth areole about as long. as broad.—Closely related to the 
last. Eastern Texas. 
4. J. setaceus Rostk. Monog. Junc. 13 (1801), Plant perennial, in large dense 
tufts, erect at the base, spreading and at length recurved above, 40 to 100 em. long: 
uppermost sheath usually bearing a long, slender, terete blade similar in appearance to the 
stem but channeled; other sheaths with minute filiform blades less than 1 em. in 
length; involucral leaf appearing like a continuation of the stem, 10 to 30 em. long: 
inflorescence appearing lateral, 5 em, or less in length: perianth 3 to 5 mm. long, its 
parts larweolate, acuminate, rigid, widely divergent in fruit: stamens 6; the anthers 
usually longer than the filaments, and commonly deciduous after flowering: capsule 
globose, shining, mucronate, 1-celled, with intruded placenti, barely dehiscent: seed 
subglobose, 0.5 to 0.7 mm. long, reticulated in about 11 longitudinial rows, the areola 
large, smooth, usually a little broader than long.—Resembling the following but 
more nearly related to the preceding. Contined to the coast region. 
