680 JUNCACE.E JUNCOIDES 



bracts small and scarious. Stamens always 6. Capsule 1-celled, 

 with 3 parietal placenta and 1-3 erect seeds. 



J. pilosum Kuntze Eev. Gen. ii, 725. Tufted, often somewhat stolon- 

 iferous: stems erect, 2-4-leaved, 6-12 inches high: radical leaves 2-6 inches 

 long, 2-4 lines wide, slightly pubescent, acuminate into a blunt almost 

 gland-like point: cauline leaves similar but successively shorter: inflores- 

 cence an umbel-like cluster, the filiform pedicels usually nearly equal, 

 1-2-flpwered: perianth 1-1% lines long, its segments triangular-ovate, 

 acuminate, brown with hyaline margins, almost twice as long as the 

 toothed bractlets: capsule about % longer than the perianth, its valves 

 ovate-lanceolate : seeds about 1 line long, with a conspicuous hooked ca- 

 runcle at the summit. Oregon to Alaska and in the Alleghany Mountains; 

 also in Europe and Asia. 



J. spadicenm Kuntze 1. c. 724. Glabrous or slightly villous: stems 

 6-18 inches high : leaves 4-6 inches long, 3-5 lines wide, acute or shortly 

 acumin'ate : inflorescence lax, and drooping, much exceeding the usuall)' 

 small involucral bracts: perianth straw-color or tinged with brown, the 

 segments lanceolate, acuminate, about I line long, slightly shorter than the 

 acute apiculate capsule : seeds oblong, brownish, not appendaged. In the 

 mountains, California to the Arctic regions and the northern Atlantic 

 States : also in Europe. 



J. parviflorum Coville Cont. Nat. Herb, iv, 209. Stems slender, 

 tufted, 1-2 feet high : leaves narrowly lanceolate, 3-6 inches long: 3-6 lines 

 wide : inflorescence a loose decompound panicle, commonly 3-4 inches high, 

 its lowest bract foliaceous, seldom more than % the length of the panicle: 

 flowers borne singly or 2-3 together on the branches of the panicle, on 

 slender pedicels: bractlets ovate: perianth %-!% line long, its segments 

 ovate, acuminate, slightly exceeded by the green to brown ovoid capsule: 

 feeds narrowly oblong, attached to the placentae by a slender fibre. In 

 sorests, Alaska to California and the northern Atlantic States. 



Var. m elan o car pum Sheldon Bull. Geol. Surv. Minn, ix, 63. Stems 

 stouter and shorter: leaves more numerous, and somewhat broader: inflor- 

 escence more dense : bracts all scarious : pedicels 3-6 lines long : perianth 

 and capsule dark brown. On the highest parts of the Cascade Mountains. 



Var. subcongestnm Sheldon 1. c. Often tufted : leaves narrower: 

 inflorescence more narrowlv paniculate: pedicels only a line or two long, 

 the flowers thus appearing In small heads. In the high mountains, Alaska 

 to California. 



J. spicatum Kuntze 1. c. 725. Closely tufted, without rootstocks : 

 stems erect, 4-16 inches high, distantly 1-3 leaved tapering to a filiform 

 summit : leaves 2-3 lines wide, often involute, tapering to a sharp apex : 

 inflorescence a nodding spike-like often interrupted panicle, commonly 

 9-15 lines long, usually exceeded by the lowest leaf-like bract, ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, equalling the perianth : segments of the perianth brown 

 with hyaline margins, l-l^ lines long, lanceolate, aristate-acuminate : 

 capsule broadly ovoid, about % as long as the perianth : seeds narrow and 

 obliquely obovoid. Alaska to California and across the continent. 



J. comosum Sheldon 1. c. 64. Stems slender, 6-15 inches high, leafy, 

 leaves 3-4 inches long, 1-3 lines wide, the foliaceous bract usually exceed- 

 ing the narrow panicle : peduncles 2-12, unequal, the longer 1-3 inches long 

 spikes simple, usually oblong, loosely-flowered; perianth pale or somewhat 

 tinged with brown, about 1% lines long, its segments narrowly acuminates 

 equalling the obtuse capsule: anthers small, as long as the filaments: seed, 

 dark brown with a white caruncle, appendage sometimes half as long as 

 the seed. Alaska to California and the Rocky Mountains. 



