468 THE RUSH FAMILY. [ Juncus. 
or very rarely flat and grass-like. Flowers either distinct or in little 
clusters, usually arranged in irregular panicles; the branches very unequal 
in length, with a dry sheathing bract (like the glumes of Sedges and 
Grasses) under each ramieacons cluster, or flower; the outer bract or 
bracts often ending in a long leaf-like point, in some species appearing 
like a continuation of the stem. Stamens 6, rarely 3, Capsule 8-celled, 
with numerous small seeds. 
The principal genus of the Order, and co-extensive in its geographical 
range. ‘The species are almost all inhabitants of marshy, bogey, or wet 
ground, and several are almost cosmopolitan, 
Stems quite leafless, except the brown sheathing scales at the 
base, whicn have no leafy tips. Flowers in a lateral cluster. 
Stems soft and pliable, 
Flowers very numerous. Perianth aboutllinelong . - Ll. J. communis. 
Flowers tew, about halfway up the stem. Perianth about 
2lineslong . : oo te eee eer ne 
Stems rigid. 
Stems tufted, rather slender. Recieles loose. Perianth- 
segments very narrow . ; i —  » 2d places 
Stems very stiff. Rootstock creeping. Panicle many- 
flowered. Perianth-segments nearly ovate . * . 4 oJ, balticus, 
Leaves (sometimes cylindical and stem-like) eitber on the stem 
or under the panicle, or forming leaty tips to the sheathing- 
scales at the base of the stem. 
Leaves cylindrical and hollow, but with internal cross partitions, 
which make them look jointed when dry. 
Perianth-segmen'ts more or less pointed . é ; - . 5. Jd. articulatus. 
Perianth-segments all obtuse . - 6 d. obtusifiorus. 
Leaves and outer bracts cylindrical, very ‘stiff, with prickly points. 
Capsule much longer than the perianth . 4 : . 13. J. acutus. 
Capsule not longer than the perianth . 12. J. maritimus, 
Leaves neither jointed nor prickly (usually channelled, or slender, 
or spreading). 
Leaves all radical or nearly so (except the outer leaf-like 
brac'), and much shorter than the stem, 
Flowers not clustered, inaloose panicle . . : . 9. J. squarrosus. 
Flowers in one or two terminal heads. 
Heads solitary, with 2to4flowers . ; : : . 17. J. biglumis. 
Heads 1 or 2, with 6 to 8 flowersineach . F ‘ . 16. J. castaneus. 
One or two leaves on the stem below the panicle. 
Small annuals. Flowers pale-coloured. é 
Flowers distinct, in a much branched, leafy panicle, 
occupying the greater part of the plant ; ; » 10; 8, ia: 
Flowers coliected in one or few terminal heads. 
Perianth-segments 2 to 24 lines long, scarcely 
pointed, Capsule narrow f ll. J. pyameus, 
Perianth-segments under 2 lines, with a fine, often 
recurved, point. Capsule short and broad . . 12, J, capitatus. 
Perennils. Flowers brown. 
Flowers several, distinct, in a loose panicle. Outer 
bract short . , 3 . 7. JS. compressus, 
Flowers many, in terminal cymes. "Bracts long . . 8, J. tenuis, 
Flowers very ‘ew on each stem, distinct, Outer bracts 
very long and slender. ; . 15. J. trifidus. 
Flowers 6 or 8 together in terminal heads - : . 16. J. custaneus, 
These species are well distributed into two sections. In the one, com- 
prising the first ten of the following species, the seeds are ovate or oblong, 
scarcely pointed. In the second section, to which belong the last five 
species (11 to 15), the testa of the seed is extended at each end into a little 
tail-like appendage. 
