104 



JUNCACEAE. 



I. J uncus. 



* 1. J. capitatus, Weig. Annual, with simple, filiform 

 stems, 2-8 cm. high ; leaves all radical, linear-channeled ; 

 flowers brown, 3-10 in a terminal cluster, usually solitary 

 and surpassed by a leafy bract ; outer perianth -segments 

 with long curved points ; stamens 3 ; capsule almost 

 globular, shorter than perianth. 



Southern districts ; South-East ; Eyre Peninsula. 

 Sept. -Dec. —Almost cosmopolitan. 



2. J. bufonius, L. Toad Rush. Annual, with branching 

 stems, 3-25 cm. high ; leaves linear-channeled, radical 

 and at the base of the branches ; flowers pale-colored, 

 solitary along the branches or 2-4 together ; floral bracts 

 linear-channeled, usually shorter than the infloresence ; 

 perianth 6-9 mm. long, the segments lanceolate, unequal ; 

 capsule oblong, shorter than the 3 inner segments ; 

 stamens 6 or 3. 



Southern and Murray districts ; Flinders Range ; Eyre 

 Peninsula. Sept. -Dec. — Most temperate regions. 



Fig 26— Juncus capitatus. 



3. J. planifolius, R. Br. Stems leafless, slender, 10-15 cm. high ; leaves radical,, 

 flat, or slightly channeled, grass-like, 3-8 mm. broad ; flowers brown in globular clusters,, 

 on the branches or in the forks of a terminal umbel-like infloresence, sometimes reduced 

 to a single terminal cluster ; perianth -segments only 2 mm. long ; capsule ovoid, as long 

 as the perianth ; stamens 3. 



Southern districts and principally in the Mount Lofty Range ; Flinders Range ; South- 

 East. Nov. -Feb. 



4. J. caespiticius, E. Mey. Near the preceding, but the leaves more channeled, only 

 about 2 mm. broad, inflorescence denser, perianth 3 mm. long and stamens 6. The narrow 

 floral bract is longer than the infloresence, whereas in J. planifolius it is usually shorter. 



Mount Lofty Range ; South-East. Nov. -Feb. 



5. J. plebeius, R. Br. Resembles J. bufonius, but is perennial, 6-15 cm. high, the 

 leaves linear-channeled, radical, and sometimes longer than the stem ; flowers divaricate, 

 2-6 together in clusters, sessile or pedunculate towards the end of the stem, with a long 

 leafy bract under the lowest cluster ; stamens 6 ; capsule as long as the 3 inner perianth- 

 segments. — J. homalocaulis, F. v. M. 



Swamp near Kybybolite (South-East). Summer. 



6. J. holoschoenus, R. Br. Stems almost cylindrical, usually 30-50 cm. long, but some- 

 times dwarf ; leaves mostly basal, hollow with pithy transverse partitions which make 

 them appear jointed, especially when dried ; flowers rather numerous in globular clusters, 

 and forming a branching or compact panicle ; floral bract leafy, jointed ; perianth 

 brownish, 4 mm. long, equalling the narrow, triquetrous capsule ; stamens 6.— J. prisma- 

 tocarpus, Benth. partly, not of R. Br. 



Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges ; Murray lands ; South-East. Summer. 



7. J. lamprocarpus, Ehrh. Stems and leaves as in the preceding, but the clusters 

 smaller, with only 2-8 flowers ; perianth brownish, 3 mm. long, the segments equal and 

 the inner ones obtuse ; capsule abruptly mucronate, shining, and exceeding the perianth ; 

 stamens 6. 



Mount Lofty Range. Summer. — Also in all the other continents. 



8. J. maritimus, Lamk. var. australiensis, Buch. Stems from a creeping rootstock, 

 about 1 m. high, rigid, cylindrical ; leaves almost as long, stem-like, with pungent points ; 

 flowers dark-brown in small clusters forming a compound somewhat lateral panicle, often 

 surpassed by the erect rigid floral bract ; segments 3 mm. long, equalling the mucronate 

 almost black shining capsule ; stamens 6. 



Near fresh or brackish water in southern districts ; South-East ; Eyre Peninsula. 

 Summer. 



9. J. pallidus, R. Br. Pale Rush. Stems stout, 50 cm. to 2 m. high, 4-7 mm. diam., 

 with continuous pith ; leaves reduced to brown basal bracts ; flowers straw-colored, 

 numerous, distinct in a rather loose or dense lateral panicle with a long erect bract ; 

 perianth 3-3^ mm. long, the segments all acute, slightly surpassed by the ovoid capsule ; 

 stamens 6. 



Southern districts to Flinders Range ; South-East. Summer. 



10. J. polyanthemus, Buch. Variable, and in its larger forms approaching the preceding ; 

 stems 20-80 cm. high, 1-4 mm. diam., with interrupted pith ; leaves reduced to basal 



