Flora of the Palouse Region 39 



Leaf-sheaths open: capsule 1 or 3-celled, many-seeded; placentae parietal or 



axial. 59. JUNCUS. 



Leaf-sheaths closed: capsule l-celled, 3-seeded; placentae basal. 



60. I/UZUI/A. 



59. JUNCUS. 



Annual or perennial plants: stems leaf-bearing or scapose: leaves 

 glabrous, round, grass-like or channelled: inflorescence a panicle 

 or corymb, often one-sided, bearing its flowers either singly and 

 with two bractlets or in heads and without bractlets, 

 but each in the axil of a bract: stamens 3-6: ovary 1 -celled or 3- 

 celled; placentae parietal or axial: seeds several to many. 



Panicle apparently lateral: stems naked. J. balTicus. 



Panicle terminal: leaves without transverse cross partitions. 



Annual: stems leafy. J. BUFONIUS. 



Perennial: stems naked. 



Panicle loose. J. tenuis. 



Panicle compact. J. CONKUSUS. 



Perennial: stems leafy. J. eaTieouus. 



Panicle terminal: leaves with transverse cross partitions. 



Leaves equitant: stamens 3. J. ensifolius. 



Leaves not equitant: stamens 6. 



Panicle loose: heads dark brown. J. nevadensis. 



Panicle dense: heads cinnamon brown. J. sp. innom. 



J. balticus Willd. Stems erect, terete, naked, 30-60 cm. tall, from stout 

 horizontal rootstocks: leaves consisting only of sheaths: panicle apparently 

 lateral, the elongated bract appearing like a continuation of the stem: pan- 

 icle simple or compound, 1-10 cm. long: perianth segments lanceolate, acute 

 or obtusish, about 4 mm. long, usually brown: stamens 6: capsule acutely 

 angled and short beaked: seeds oblong, the surface reticulated. Abundant 

 in wet places. 



J. bufonius L. Annual, branching from the base, 5-30 cm. tall: leaf 

 blades flat or involute, slender: flowers loosely scattered, usually on but one 

 side of the long branches of the panicle: perianth segments pale, scarious- 

 margined, lanceolate, acuminate: stamens 6: capsule narrowly oblong, with 

 a short blunt beak: seeds very finely reticulate. Everywhere common. 



J. tenuis Willd. Perennial: stems naked, in dense tufts, 15-30 cm. tall: 

 leaves flat or somewhat involute, narrow, shorter than the stems: panicle 

 loose, seldom exceeded by the slender bract: perianth segments lanceolate, 

 pale: stamens 6: capsule obovate, rounded at the apex, i-celled with 3 pari- 

 etal placentae; seeds minutely reticulate. Very common. 



J. COnfllSUS Coville. Much like the preceding, but the inflorescence cap- 

 itate, much exceeded by the bract: capsule somewhat 3-angled, 3-celled, 

 Rare in our limits. 



