JUNCACEAE. 71 



Blades of the sepals and petals oblong, entire, the filaments adnate to the base of 

 the claws : leaf-blades linear or nearly so. 1. M. virgitiicwn. 



Blades of the sepals and petals suborbicular or reniform, un- 

 dulate to crisped, the filaments adnate the whole length of 

 the claws : leaf-blades manifestly broadest above the middle. 2. M. latifoUum. 



1. M. virginicum L. Stem 7-17 dm. tall: leaf -blades linear, attenuate: pan- 

 icle narrow, 1-5 dm. long: perianth greenish-yellow: sepals and petals with 

 claws about I as long as the blades. — N. S. Eather common, in moist woods. 

 — Sandstones and shales, schists. 



2. M. latifollum Desv. Stem 5-12 dm. tall: leaf-blades broadened above the 

 middle, acute or acuminate: panicle 2-6 dm. long: perianth whitish: sepals 

 and petals with claws nearly as long as the blades. — S. Rare, in woods. — 

 Serpentine. 



Family 2. JUNCACEAE. Rush Family. 



Perennial or sometimes annual herbs, usually grass-like in habit. 

 Leaves with flat blades, or terete. Flowers scattered along the inflores- 

 cence-branches, or in dense heads. Calyx of 3 chafi!y sepals. Corolla of 

 3 petals nearly or quite similar to the sepals. Androecium of 3 or 6, or 

 rarely 4 or 5 stamens. Gynoecium 3-carpellary. Ovary 1-3-celled. Fruit 

 a loculicidal capsule, or opening irregularly. Seeds sometimes appendaged. 



Leaf-sheaths open: capsule 1- or 3-celled with axial or parietal placentae: seeds 



many. 1- Juncus. 



Leaf-sheaths closed: capsules 1-celled with basal placentae: seeds 3. 2. .Juxcoides. 



1. JUNCUS [Tourn.] L. Glabrous or merely scabrous herbs. Leaves 

 terete or with flat but thick blades. Bracts subtending the flowers, mostly en- 

 tire. — Sum. — EuSH. 



Lower bract of the inflorescence terete, not markedly channeled, erect, appearing 

 like a continuation of the scape, the inflorescence thus appearing lateral. 



I. Effusi. 

 Lower bract of the inflorescence not appearing like a continuation 

 of the scape, the inflorescence therefore usually appearing 

 terminal. 

 Leaf-blades with their flat surface facing the stem, or terete 

 or channeled, not provided with node-like septa. 

 Flowers bracteolate, borne singly on the inflorescence- 

 branches, or sometimes clustered, but never capitate. II. Bcfoxii. 

 Flowers not bracteolate, capitate on the inflorescence- 

 branches, ni. Marginati. 

 Leaf-blades either terete and not flattened, or flattened or 

 compressed, with the flat surfaces not facing the stem, 

 hollow and provided with septa. 

 Stamens 6, one facing each sepal and each petal. l\ . Articdlati. 

 Stamens 3, one facing each sepal. V. Acuminati. 



I. EFFUSI. 

 Sepals and petals green or straw-colored : stamens 3 ; 



anthers as long as the filaments. 1- •/• effusi. 



Sepals and petals chestnut-brown on either side of the 



midrib : stamens 6 ; anthers longer than the filaments. 2. ./. halticus. 



II. BUFONII. 

 Annual plants. 3. J. hiifonius. 



Perennial plants. 



Auricles of the leaf-sheaths membranous or scarious, 

 whitish. 

 Primary bracts shorter than the inflorescence : 

 leaf-auricles membranous, rarely if at all pro- 

 longed beyond the insertion. 4. J. sccundus. 

 Primary bracts longer than the inflorescence : 

 leaf-auricles scarious, markedly prolonged beyond 

 the insertion. 5. -/. tenuis. 

 Auricles of the leaf-sheaths cartilaginous, yellow or 



yellow-brown. 6. J. Dudleiji. 



