Genus i. RUSH FAMILY. 467 



1. Juncus effusus L. Common Rush. Bog Rush. Soft Rush. Fig. j 166. 



J 'uncus effusus L. Sp. PI. 326. 1753. 



Plant iJ°-4° high, densely tufted, erect. Rootstock 

 stout, branching, proliferous; stem soft, merely striate 

 beneath the inflorescence; basal leaf-blades reduced to 

 filiform rudiments; inflorescence many-flowered, i'-4' 

 high, in one form congested into a still smaller com- 

 pact cluster; lowest bract of the inflorescence 2'-io' 

 long, much shorter than the stem; perianth i"-il" 

 long, its parts green, lanceolate, acuminate; stamens 3, 

 the anthers shorter than the filaments; capsule obo- 

 void, 3-celled, muticous, regularly dehiscent; seed 4"- 

 1" in length, obliquely oblong, reticulate in about 16 

 longitudinal rows, the reticulations smooth and two or 

 three times broader than long. 



In swamps and moist places, nearly throughout North 

 America, except the arid and high northern portions. As- 

 cends to 3000 ft. in Virginia. Also in Europe and Asia. 

 Called also Water, Round, Hard, Candle and Pin-rush. 



2. Juncus conglomeratus L. Glomerate or Staff Rush. Fig. 1167. 



Juncus conglomeratus L. Sp. PI. 326. 1753. 

 Juncus Leersii Mars. Fl. Neu-Vorpom. 451. 1869. 



Plant i°-2h° high, densely tufted, erect. Rootstock 

 stout, with proliferous branches; stem distinctly ribbed 

 just beneath the inflorescence; leaf-blades wanting or 

 reduced to minute filiform rudiments; inflorescence 

 congested, seldom more than 10" high; lowest bract of 

 the inflorescence 2'-6' long, much shorter than the stem ; 

 perianth i±"-2" long, its parts green, lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate ; stamens 3, about two-thirds as long as the peri- 

 anth; anthers shorter than the filaments; capsule nearly 

 as long as the perianth, obovoid, obtuse or retuse at 

 apex, tipped with the base of the style; seed ¥'-¥' in 

 length, obliquely oblong, acute or abruptly apiculate 

 at both ends, reticulate in about 16 longitudinal rows, 

 the reticulations smooth and two or three times broader 

 than long. 



In sphagnum bogs, resembling in appearance specimens 

 of /. effusus with congested inflorescence. Newfoundland, 

 Nova Scotia, northern Europe and Asia. Pith-rush. 



3. Juncus filiformis L. Thread Rush. Fig nf8. 



Juncus filiformis L. Sp. PI. 326. 1753. 



Perennial, stems 4'-2s' tall, erect, about 4" in diam- 

 eter, arising from a creeping rootstock; basal leaves 

 reduced to bladeless sheaths; involucral leaf usually 

 longer than the stem; inflorescence rarely with more 

 than 20 flowers or more than 1' high, commonly with 

 less than 8 flowers and less than 10" high; perianth 

 ii"-il" long, its parts nearly equal, green with hyaline 

 margins, narrowly lanceolate, acute, or the inner obtuse; 

 stamens 6, about half as long as the perianth ; anthers 

 shorter than the filaments; style very short; capsule 

 obovoid, green, barely pointed, about three-fourths as 

 long as the perianth, 3-celled ; seed obliquely oblong, 

 about I" long, pointed at either end, with an irregularly 

 wrinkled coat, seldom developing reticulations. 



Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, Penn- 

 sylvania, Michigan, and in the Rocky Mountains to Utah 

 and Colorado. Also in Europe and Asia. 



