358 JUNCACE^E. (RUSH FAMILY.) 



•*- 4- Flowers solitary, panicled. 

 ++ Stems slender, simple, tufted, leafy below. 



8. J. Vaseyi, Engelm. Leaves slightly channelled at base: panicle light- 

 colored, loose, few-flowered : capsule ovate, retuse : seeds conspicuous! </ caudate 

 at both ends. — Loc. cit. From Colorado to Michigan and the Saskatchewan. 



9. J. tenuis, Willd. Leaves flat: perianth-segments pale: sepals ex- 

 ceeding the ovoid retuse green capsule: seeds white-pointed at both ends. — 

 Everywhere throughout the United States. 



Var. congestus, Engelm. Panicle contracted and somewhat capitate: 

 perianth and capsule darker. — Loc. cit. 450. Colorado and California. 

 ++ ++ Stems branched, diffused, leafy. 



10. J. bufonius, L. Low and slender : panicle spreading, mostly with 

 one-sided dichotomous branches : the 3 outer sepals much longer than the 

 inner and than the oblong obtuse pod : seeds elliptical, obtuse. — Common 

 everywhere. 



t- •<- -i~ Flowers capitate : seeds not caudate. 



11. J. longistylis, Torr. & Gray. Stems 1 to 2 feet high, leafy: leaves 

 flat, grass-like: heads few in a contracted panicle, or rarely single : flowers 

 greenish with brown lines : sepals equal, a little shorter or equalling the 

 ovate, obtuse, mucronate or rostrate, chestnut- colored capsule : seeds oblan- 

 ceolate or obovate, pointed. — From New Mexico to the Saskatchewan and 

 Washington. 



* * * Stem leafy: leaves knotted by internal cross-partitions: panicle terminal, 



with the flowers in heads. — Knotty-leaved Junci. 



•*- Leaves terete or slightly compressed. 



++ Seeds barely pointed : stamens 6. 



12. J. alpinus, Vill., var. insignis, Fries. Stem 9 to 18 inches high: 

 panicle erect, elongated, greenish or light-brown; heads few-flowered : sepals 

 obtuse: capsules light-brown, obtuse, mucronate, 3-ce/led : seeds spindle-shaped. 

 — From Colorado northward, also eastward to New York. 



13. J. nodosus, L., var. megacephalus, Torr. Stem stout, 1 to 3 feet 

 high, with thick leaves: panicle pale green; heads many-flowered : sepals awl- 

 pointed: capsules slender, triangular, taper-pointed, one-celled: seeds obovate, 

 abruptly mucronate. — From New Mexico to California and New York. 



t-f. ++ Seeds caudate: stamens 3. 



14. J. Canadensis, J. Gay. Tufted stems erect, bearing 2 or 3 leaves : 

 heads few to many-flowered : outer sepals the shorter : capsule triangular- 

 prismatic, one-celled, mostly exsert nnd short-pointed. 



Var. coaretatus, Engelm. Stem slender, bearing fewer deep-brown 3 to 

 5-flowered heads in a somewhat erect contracted panicle : sepals much shorter 

 than the pod. — Gray's Manual, 544. Yellowstone Park ; also eastward from 

 Wisconsin to New England. 



*- •*- Leaves compressed and equitant, ensiform: stem compressed and usually 



acutely edged. 



15. J. Mertensianus, Meyer. Stems weak, from slender matted root- 

 stocks, 6 to 18 inches high, not 2-edged : leaves very narrow, the sheaths with 

 ligules: heads solitary, densely many-flowered, dark brown: capsule obovate, 

 obtuse. — From Colorado to California and Alaska. 



