258 JUNCACEAE 



rarely flat : inflorescence and flowers as in J. ttnuis but darker, sometimes smaller and 

 frequently with more rigid parts : seeds oblong, obliquely apiculate, 0.36-0.45 mm. long, 

 with about 13 longitudinal ribs, the smooth areolae about as long as broad. 



In dry or sandy soil, Massachusetts to Florida and Texas, mostly near the coast. Spring and 

 summer. When the leaves are expanded and flat this species can be separated from J. tenius by the 

 purple base, darker flowers and the semi-cartilaginous auricles. 



15. Juncus setaceus JRostk. Plants in dense tufts. Uppermost sheath usually 

 bearing a terete blade similar to the stem, but channeled : other sheaths with minute 

 filiform blades less than 1 cm. in length : scapes spreading and at length recurved, 4-10 

 dm. long : involucral bract appearing like a continuation of the stem, 10-30 cm. long : 

 inflorescence appearing lateral, 5 cm. long or less : perianth 3-5 mm. long : sepals and 

 petals lanceolate, acuminate, rigid, widely divergent in fruit : stamens 6 ; anthers usually 

 longer than the filaments : capsules globose-ovoid, shining, mucronate, 1-celled, with in- 

 truded placentae, breaking irregularly in age : seeds subglobose, 0.5-0.7 mm. long, retic- 

 ulated in about 11 longitudinal rows, the areolae usually a little broader than long. 



In marshes, usually near the coast, Delaware to Missouri, Florida and Texas. Spring and summer. 



16. Juncus repens Michx. Plants stoloniferous. Stems tufted, compressed, com- 

 monly 1-2 mm. in width, 5-20 cm. high, or prostrate, often creeping, and sometimes 

 attaining a length of more than 5 dm. : leaves with compressed sheaths 2 cm. long or less, 

 auriculate ; blades commonly 3-8 cm. long and 1-2 mm. broad, filiform-acuminate at the 

 apex : heads 1-8, 1 or more often occurring also at the lower nodes, 5-10- flowered : peri- 

 anth 6-10 mm. long : sepals subulate-lanceolate, keeled and about shorter than the 

 otherwise similar petals : stamens 3, ^-J the length of the perianth ; filaments several 

 times longer than the yellow anthers : capsules subulate, but beakless, about as long as 

 the sepals, 3-celled, the valves membranous and breaking away from the placeutal 

 axis in dehiscence : seeds oblong, acute at both ends, 0.3-0.4 mm. long, finely reticulated 

 in 25-40 longitudinal rows, the areolae much broader than long. 



In streams and swamps, Delaware to Florida and Texas. Also in Cuba and Lower California. 

 Spring and summer. 



17. Juncus filip6ndulus Buckl. Plants 1-3 dm. high. Rootstock branching ; 

 branches hardly longer than broad, congested : stems tufted, 1 mm. broad or less : basal 

 leaves about the length of the stem ; blades 1-2.5 mm. broad : inflorescence consisting 

 of 1-5, commonly 2-3, heads each 4-7-flowered : perianth 4-6 mm. long : sepals and 

 petals lanceolate, with hyaline margins and green midrib, acuminate into an aristate 

 apex, the sepals slightly the shorter : stamens 3, about ^ as long as the perianth ; anthers 

 yellow, much shorter than the filaments : capsules about as long as the perianth, obo- 

 void, retuse, mucronate, almost 3-celled : seeds 0.45-0.55 mm. long, oblong, acute at both 

 ends, with 14-18 prominent longitudinal costae (and often as many intermediate, much 

 less conspicuous ones), the intermediate areas smooth, with an occasional transverse line. 



In low grounds, Tennessee to Arkansas and southern Texas. Spring to fall. 



18. Juncus setbsus (Coville) Small. Plants rather loosely tufted, 3-7 dm. high, 

 bright green. Stems not much thickened at the base : leaves with auriculate sheaths, 

 sometimes quite numerous ; blades 2-5 mm. wide, nearly similar to those of J. margina- 

 tus: panicle 3-10 cm. high, composed of 20-100 heads, or smaller in depauperate forms : 

 perianth 3-3.5 mm. long : sepals lanceolate-acuminate : petals slightly larger than the 

 sepals, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, setiform-acuminate : stamens 3, much shorter than 

 the perianth ; anthers and filaments about equal in length, the former reddish-brown : 

 capsules oblong, about as long as the perianth, blunt. [J". marginatus var. setosus Coville.] 



In woods and wet places, Nebraska to Louisiana, Arizona and Mexico. Spring and summer. 



19. Juncus marginatus Rostk. Plants tufted, mostly 1.5-5 dm. high, from branch- 

 ing rootstocks. Stems somewhat bulbous at the base : leaves with auriculate sheaths ; 

 blades 1-3 mm. broad, 2-4 conspicuous veins in addition to the midrib : panicle 10 cm. 

 high or less, composed mostly of 5-10-flowered heads : perianth 2.5-3 mm. long : sepals 

 ovate, acute : petals slightly longer, obovate, broadly obtuse, hyaline-margined : stamens 

 3, nearly as long as the perianth ; anthers ovoid, reddish brown when dry, much shorter 

 than the filaments : capsules equalling the perianth, obovoid, truncate or retuse. 



In meadows or grassy places, Maine to Ontario and Nebraska, south to Florida. Summer. 



20. Juncus aristulatus Michx. Plants solitary or sparingly tufted, 6-12 dm. high or 

 sometimes lower. Stems markedly bulbous-thickened at the base : leaves similar to those 

 described under J. marginatus, but sometimes 5 mm. broad : panicle 15 cm. high or less, 

 composed of numerous, usually 20-100 relatively small 2-5-flowered heads : perianth 

 about 2.5 mm. long : sepals acute or acuminate : petals oblong or obovate, obtuse, longer 



