JUNCACEAB 77 



Family i JUNCACEAE Vent. Rush Family. 

 Leaf-sheaths open : capsules i- or 3-celled with axile or parietal placentae : 



seeds many. 1. Junctts. 



Leaf-sheaths closed : capsules i-celled with basal placentae ; seeds 3. 



2. JUNCOIDES. 



1. JTJNCUS L. 

 The plants inhabit low moist or swampy places. 

 Lowest bract of the inflorescence terete, not markedly channeled, erect, ap- 

 pearing like a continuation of the scape, the inflorescence thus appearing 

 lateral. 

 Sepals and petals green, or straw-colored in age. 

 Stamens 3 ; sepals and petals about as long as the capsule : petals acute or 



acuminate : capsules of an obovoid type. i. J. effusus. 



Stamens 6 : sepals and petals about yi as long as the capsule, or the sepals 

 much longer : capsules of an ovoid type. 

 Sepals longer than the capsule : petals acute or acuminate. 



2. J. filiformis. 

 Sepals about M as long as the capsule : petals obtuse. 



3- J- gynnocarpus. 

 Sepals and petals with a chestnut-brown stripe on both sides of the midrib. 



4. J. BalHcus. 

 Lowest bract of the inflorescence not appearing like a continuation of the 



scape (or if so, markedly channeled along the inner side), the inflorescence 

 therefore usually appearing terminal. 

 A. Leaf-blades with their flat surfaces facing the stem, or terete and chan- 

 neled, not provided with node-like septa. 

 Flowers bibracteolate, inserted singly on the branches of the inflorescence, 

 sometimes clustered, but never in true heads. 

 Leaf-blades flat, but sometimes involute in drying so as to appear terete. 

 (See also J. dichotomus below.) 

 Annual : inflorescence, exclusive of its bracts, more than Vi the height 

 of the plant r anthers shorter than the filaments. 



5. J. bufonius. 

 Perennial : inflorescence, exclusive of its bracts, less than h the 



height of the plant. 

 Auricles at the summit of the leaf-sheath membranous or scarious, 

 whitish : 

 Auricles membranous, scarcely scarious, rarely if at all prolonged 



beyond the point of insertion. 6. /. secundus. 



Auricles scarious, markedly prolonged beyond the point of inser- 

 tion. 7. J. tenuis. 

 Auricles at the summit of the leaf-sheath cartilaginous, yellow to 

 yellow-brown. 8. J. Dudleyi. 

 Leaf-blades terete, channeled along the upper side. 

 Lowest bract less than 4 times the length of the inflorescence : capsule 

 oblong or obovoid, with the ordinary dehiscence. 



9. J. dichotomus. 

 Lowest bract rarely less than 4 times the length of the inflorescence : 

 capsule globose-ovoid, breaking up irregularly in age. 



10. J. setaceus. 

 Flowers not bibracteolate, in true heads on the branches of the inflorescence. 



11. J. marginatus. 



