JUNCACEAE 259 
than the sepals : stamens as long as the perianth or longer ; anthers much shorter than the 
filaments : capsules obovoid, about 2-2.5 mm. long, truncate or depressed at the apex. 
In moist soil or meadows, New York to Michigan, Florida, Texas and Mexico. Spring and summer. 
—A variety, J. aristulatus pinetorum Coville, has stems arising at intervals from thick woody tuber- 
bearing rootstocks and persistent leaves with short blades; it occurs in sandy pine woods from 
North Carolina to Florida. 
21. Juncus abortivus Chapm. Plants3-6dm. high, deep green. Stems slender, ris- 
ing at intervals from svout elongated horizontal rootstocks : leaves few ; blades terete, 
much shorter than the stems, the pith perforated with slender tubes, slightly nodose : 
panicle rather diffuse, the branches filiform : flowers scattered singly on the branches of 
the panicle : perianth 1.5-2 mm. long: sepals firm, lanceolate, acute: petals firm, lanceo- 
late, rather broader at the base than the sepals, blunt: capsule subulate, slightly surpass- 
ing the perianth. [J. pelocarpus var. crassicaudex Engelm.] 
On grassy pond-margins, Florida. Summer and fall. 
22. Juncus Torreyi Coville. Plants 2-10 dm. high, not tufted. Rootstock slen- 
der, about 2 mm. thick, tuberiform-thickened at intervals of a few centimeters, each 
tuber supporting a single stem: stems terete or slightly compressed, stout: leaf-blades 
terete, 1-2.5 mm. thick, abruptly divergent from the stem: inflorescence usually con- 
gested, only a few em. in length and consisting of from 1 to 6 heads, or occasionally 10 em. 
long and bearing 15-20 heads, exceeded by the involucral bract : heads 10-15 mm. in di- 
ameter : perianth 4-5 mm. Jong: sepals and petals subulate, the sepals longer than the 
petals: stamens about > as long as the perianth: capsule subulate, 1-celled, its beak 
1-1.5 mm. long, barely exceeding the perianth and holding the valves together through- 
out dehiscence : seeds 0.4-0.5 mm. Jong, oblong, acute at both ends, reticulated in about 
20 longitudinal rows, the areolae transversely plurilineolate. 
In low grounds, New York to the Pacific and Gulf coasts. Summer and fall. 
23. Juncus Texanus (Engelm.) Coville. Plants 2-6 dm. high. Rootstock slender, 
about 1 mm. thick, tuberiform-thickened at intervals of a few centimeters : stems single, 
one for each tuber, terete, slender: leaf-blades slender, divergent, seldom over 1 mm. 
thick : inflorescence 10 em. high or less, consisting of 2-15 heads, about equalled by its 
lowest bract: heads 10-40-flowered, 12-15 mm. thick: perianth 3.5-4.5 mm. long: 
sepals and petals subulate, the sepals shorter than the petals: stamens j-3 as long as the 
perianth : capsules subulate, 1-celled, valves united above in dehiscence, the beak 1.5-2 
mm. long: seeds broadly oblong or obovoid, acute at both ends, reticulated in about 20 
longitudinal rows, the areolae transversely plurilineolate. 
In low grounds, southern and eastern Texas. Spring to fall. 
24. Juncus megacéphalus M. A. Curtis. Plants 3-10 dm. high. Stems tufted, 
from branching rootstocks, stout, 2-3-leaved : leaves with auricled sheaths ; blades of 
the basal leaves 2 dm. long or less, those of the stem successively shorter, the uppermost 
rarely 2 em. in length : inflorescence 2.5 em. high or less, its lowest bract almost blade- 
less, the other scarious : panicle of 1-40 heads: heads spherical, 8-12 mm. in diameter : 
perianth 3-3.5 mm. long: sepals and petals subulate, the sepals longer than the petals : 
stamens 3, 3-2 the length of the petals ; anthers included, shorter that the filaments: 
capsule subulate, beaked, equalling the perianth, 3-sided, 1-ce!led : seeds oblong, 0.4-0.5 
mm. long, acute at either end, reticulated in 12-14 rows, the areolae smooth. 
In sandy soil, North Carolina to Florida. Spring to fall. 
25. Juncus scirpoides Lam. Plants 2-7 dm. high. Stems terete, clustered on short 
horizontal rootstocks, these 2-3 mm. thick, and with a yearly growth of 1-2 cm.: stem- 
leaves 1-3 ; blades terete, 2 mm. thick or less, usually less than 10 em. long, the septa 
perfect ; basal leaves similar, but with longer blades: inflorescence strict or slightly 
spreading, reaching 15 em. in length, or sometimes only 1 or 2 cm. long: heads 2-30, 
either simple, globose, 8-11 mm. in diameter in fruit, or compound, lobed, and of slightly 
greater diameter: perianth 2.5-3.5 mm. long: sepals and petals subulate, the petals some- 
what the shorter : stamens equalling at least the petals ; anthers exserted between the 
petals: capsules subulate, 1-celled, the long beak exceeding the perianth and holding the 
valves united above in dehiscence: seeds oblong, acute at both ends, 0.4-0.5 mm. in 
length, reticulated in about 20 longitudinal rows, the areolae smooth and nearly isodia- 
metrical. : 
In sandy soil, New York to Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Summer and fall. 
26. Juncus polycéphalus Michx. Plants about 10 dm. high. Stem stout, com- 
pressed, 2-4-leaved : leaves 50 cm. long or less, the upper shorter; blades flattened, 3-8 
mm. broad, the septa incomplete: inflorescence 8-30 cm. high, its bracts with nearly ob- 
solete blades: heads globose, 7-10 mm. in diameter, 20-100-flowered: perianth 3-4 mm. 
