Vol. XIV, pp. 87-89 June 19, 1901 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THK 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



JUNCUS OOLUMBIAXUS, AX UNDESCRIBED RUSH 

 FROM THE COLUMBIA PLAINS. 



Hv FREDERICK V. CIQVILLE. 



At the rrquefst of Profeissor C V. Piper, of Pullman, Wash- 

 ington, I publish at this time a description of a Juncus from 

 the Columbia Plains, which belongs to the difficult and perplex- 

 ing group of which Watson's Jinirux /ifivtde/isis is the best 

 known representative. 



Juncus columbianus sp. nov. 



Plant perennial, 20 to 70 em. hijifh. tufted, erect: roolstocks about 2 

 mm. in diameter, horizontal, the yearly growth commonly 1..") to ?, cm.: 

 stems nearly terete, commonly 1..") to 2 mm. in diameter at the base, 

 much slenderer above, with 1 or 2 or rarely :{ leaves: basal leaves few, 

 sheaths with broad membranaceous margins, auricles conspicuous, 2 to IJ 

 mm. lony, and blades terete, sometimes 20 cm. in lenjith, inconspicu- 

 ously nodose, usually erect: cauline leaves similar to the basal, the upper 

 with shorter blades: leaves of the inflorescence reduced to scarious 

 bracts, the lowest occasionally with a herbaceous blade: inflorescence 

 rarely exceeding 7 cm. in height, bearing commonly 4 to 8 or sometimes 

 even 20 glomerules, rarely reduced to a single one; perianth 3 to 3. .5 mm. 

 in length, at maturity of a pale reddish brown color or stramineous, its 

 parts narrowly lanceolate with setose apex, stamens 6 or sometimes re- 

 duced to 3 by the abortion of those opposite the inner perianth parts, 



13— BIOL. Soc. WASH. VOL. XIV, 1901, (87) 



