540 JUNCACEiE. (rush FAMILY.) 



1. J UN CITS, Tourn. Rush. Bog-Rush. 



Capsule many-seeded, 3-celled, or 1-celled by the placentae not reaching the 

 axis. iStaraens when 3 opposite the 3 outer sepals. — Chiefly perennials, and 

 in wet soil or water, with pithy or hollow and simple (rarely branching) stems, 

 and panicled or clustered small (greenish or brownish) flowers, chiefly in sum- 

 mer. Plant never hairy. (The classical name, from jungo, to join, alluding 

 to the use of the stems for bands.) 



§ 1. Stems leafless and scape-like, from matted running rootstocks, sheathed at 

 base; the sheaths sometimes bearing terete knotless leaves like the scape; 

 flowers in sessile apparently/ lateral panicles, the involucral leaf being similar 

 to and continuing the scape. — Juncus proper. 

 * Flowers solitary/ on the pedicels or ultimate ramiflcations of the panicle, 

 ■i- Sheaths at base of the stem leafless. 

 •w- Stamens 3. 



1. J. effllSllS, L. (Common or Soft Rush.) Scape soft and pliant (2 - 

 4° high) ; inner sheaths awned ; panicle diffusely much branched, many-flow- 

 ered ; flowers small (l|:" long), greenish ; sepals lanceolate, very acute, as long 

 as the narrow triangular -obovate retuse and pointless greenish-brown capsule ; 

 anthers as long as the filaments; style very short; seeds small (about |" 

 long), with short pale points. — Marshy ground, very common. (Eu.) — Var. 

 conglomerXtus, Engelm. Scape more distinctly striate; panicle closely 

 crowded; capsule short-pointed. In sphagnous swamps. 



■^ ++ Stamens 6. 



2. J. filiformis, L. Scape very slender (1-2° high), pliant ; panicle few- 

 flowered, almost simple; flowers l^" long; sepals lanceolate, the inner a little 

 shorter and less acute, longer than the broadly ovate obtuse but mucronate 

 greenish capsule ; antliers shorter than the filaments ; style very short ; seed 

 (less than |" long) short-pointed at both ends, indistinctly reticulated. — N. 

 Eng. to Mich., Neb., and northward. (Eu.) 



3. J. Smithii, Engelm. Scape rather slender (2 -3° high) ; panicle few^ 

 flowered, nearly simple ; flowers brown (1^'' long); outer sepals lanceolate, 

 acute, the inner a little shorter, obtusish, shorter than the broadly ovate rather 

 triangular acute deep chestnut-brown capsule ; anthers as long as tlie filaments ; 

 style short; seeds large (J" long or more), obtuse, short-appendaged at both 

 ends, many-ribbed find reticulated. — Sphagnous swamps, on Broad Mt. and 

 in Lebanon Co., Penn. 



4. J. Balticus, Dethard, var. littoralis, Engelm. Scape rigid (2-3° 

 high); panicle loose; flowers larger (2" long), chestnut-brown with green; 

 sepals ovate-lanceolate, the outer sharp-pointed, the inner obtusish, as long as 

 the elliptical rather triangular obtuse and mucronate deep brown capsule ; an- 

 thers much longer than the broad filaments ; style about the length of the 

 ovary; seeds rather large {Y' long or more), nearly obtuse, delicately ribbed 

 and cross-lined. — Sandy shores, Newf. to Mass., west to Penn., along the 

 Great Lakes, and westward. — Var. montXnus, Engelm. Sepals nearly equal ; 

 antliers 4 times longer than the filament; capsule ovate-pyramidal, angled, 

 beaked ; seeds smaller, narrower, apiculate. — Minn., west and nortlnvard. 



