RUSH FAMILY. 

 8. Juncus bufonius L. Toad Rush 



/unfits bufonius L. Sp. PI. 328. 1753. 



Plant branching from the base, annual, erect, sel- 

 dom exceeding S' in height, the stems in large plants 

 with i or 2 leaves below the inflorescence; leaf-blade 





flat, ' 



wide, in low plants often much narrower 



and filiform-involute; inflorescence about one-half as 

 high as the plant, with blade-bearing leaves at the 

 lower nodes; flowers inserted singly on its branches, 

 in one form fasciculate; perianth-parts 1"-$}**" long, 

 lanceolate, acuminate, equal; stamens usually 6, 

 sometimes 3, seldom half as long as the perianth; 

 anthers shorter than the filaments; capsule about two- 

 thirds as long as the perianth; narrowly oblong, ob- 

 tuse, mucronate, 3-celled; seed broadly oblong, with 

 straight tips, y<a"-W long, minutely reticulate in 

 30-40 longitudinal rows, the areolae broader than long. 

 A cosmopolitan species, occurring throughout North 

 America.except the extreme north, and frequenting drii-d 

 up pools, borders of streams and roadsides in clay< 



9. Juncus trifidus I,. Highland Rush. (Fig. 9. 



Juncus trifidus I,. Sp. PI. 336. 1753. 



Densely tufted, 4' -12' high; Mem* closely set oa a 

 stout rootstock, erect, about V " thick. 

 reduced to almost bladelett sheaths, the 

 with a rudimentary blade and fimbriate auricle*; 

 leaf i, inserted near the inflorescence, with a 

 slender, flat or involute blade; inflorescence a 

 of 1-3 flowers, the lowest subtending bract similar to 

 the stem leaf, the succeeding one much smaller or 

 wanting; perianth dark brown, iV"-' V" l**f; *- 

 mens 6; anthers about as long as the filament*. capmrft 

 equalling the perianth, coriaceous, 3-celled. obovoid 

 with a conspicuously mucronate -arisUte top; seed* 

 few, narrowly obovoid, acute at the base, irregularly 

 angled, minutely striate both longitudinally and i 

 versely. 



Greenland and Labrador, sooth ca the higher 

 tains of New Kngland and Xc Sam's 



N. Y. Also in northern Kurojx- an.! 



10. Juncus Gerardi Lois. Black-grass. (Fig. 928.) 



Juncus Gerardi Lois. Journ. de Bot. 2: 284. 1809. 



Tufted, 8'-2S' high, with creeping rootstocks. 

 Basal leaves with rather loosely clasping auriculate 

 sheaths, the long blades flat, or when dry involute; i 

 or 2 cauline leaves usually present, similar to the 

 basal; inflorescence paniculate, sometimes exceeded 

 by its lowest bract; panicle erect, strict or slightly 

 spreading; perianth \ ff -\]^" long, its parts oblong, 

 obtuse, with green midrib and broad dark brown 

 margins, straw-colored in age; stamens 6, barely ex- 

 ceeded by the perianth; anthers much longer than 

 the filaments; capsule one-fourth to one-half longer 

 than the perianth, obovoid, mucronate, dark brown, 

 shining, 3-celled; seed dark brown, obovate, acute at 

 base, broadly obtuse and often depressed at the sum- 

 mit, marked by 12-16 conspicuous ribs, the interven- 

 ing spaces cross-lined. 



On salt meadows. Gulf of St. La\yrence to Florida; rare 

 in western New York and the vicinity of the Great Lakes. 

 Occurs also on the northwest coast, and in Europe. 



