Juncus.'] 
IX. JUNCEA3. 
289 
nal or lateral cymes heads or panicles, rarely solitary. Ovary 3-celled ; style 
short, rarely distinct ; ovules numerous. 
A large genus, found all the world over. The species are variable and often difficult of 
discrimination. 
1. Rhizome stout, creeping. Culms terete. 
Leaves 0 ; sheaths at the base of the culms, broad, open, obtuse. 
Culms 2-3 ft., very stout. Panicle pale. Stamens 6 . . . . 1 . vaginatus. 
Culms 1-3 ft., slender. Panicle pale. Stamens 3 2. J. australis. 
Leaves few, terete, very long, pungent ; sheaths below them oppressed to the culm. 
Culms 1-2 ft., rather stout. Panicle brown. Stamens 6 . . . 3. J. maritimus. 
Culms 1-3 ft., slender. Panicle pale. Stamens 3 . . . . 4. J. communis. 
2. Roots fibrous ( rhizome creeping in 8). Culms tufted, usually flattened, leafy at the base. 
Leaves not jointed internally ( see also 10. J. novae-Zelandiac). 
Leaves flat or concave, grass-like. Flowers T ' 5 in. long .... 5. J. planfolius. 
Densely tufted. Leaves slender. Flowers i in. long 6. J. bufonius. 
Minute. Leaves terete. Flowers 1-3, terminal 7 . J. antarcticus. 
Leaves terete or compressed., the pith jointed internally, often very inconspicuously 
in J. novse-Zelandise. 
Stout. Cymes divaricating. Flowers capitate, £ in. long . . . 8 . J. Holosckcenus. 
Slender. Leaves compressed. Flowers 2-8, terminal. Perianth 
as long as the acute capsule 9 . J. scheuzerioides. 
Slender. Leaves filiform. Flowers 3-5, terminal, brown. Peri- 
anth shorter than the black, shining, turgid capsule .... 10. J. novce-Zelandice. 
Slender. Leaves capillary. Flowers 1-3, lateral, pale. Perianth 
as long as the acute, pale capsule 11. J. capillaceus. 
1. J. vaginatus, Br. ; — FI. N. Z. i. 263. Very stout, tall, pale-coloured. 
Culms 2-3 ft. high, minutely striate, nearly £ in diam. at the base, leafless, 
covered with large sheaths at the base. Panicle lateral, dense or loose, very 
variable in size, branches strict, compressed. Flowers T W- in. long, fascicled ; 
bracts short, ovate, acute ; perianth segments lanceolate, acuminate. Cap- 
sules pale, obovoid, obtuse, rather longer than the perianth. Testa produced 
at each end. 
Northern Island: wet clay soil near Wellington, Colenso, Stephenson ; W'aitaki, Sin- 
clair. An abundant South Australian and Tasmanian plant, and apparently the same as 
the Chilian J. procerus, E. Meyer ( J . Valdivice, Steud.). 
2. J. australis. Hook. f. FI. Tasman, ii. 67. t. 131 A.. Quite similar 
to J. vaginatus, but much more slender, panicle very much smaller, and 
stamens only 3. Culms slender, 1-3 ft. high, leafless. Panicle pale, open 
or contracted and almost capitate. 
Northern and Middle Islands: marshy places, probably common, Colenso, Sinclair, 
Munro ; as far south as Otago, Lindsay. Also abundant in South Australia and Tasmania. 
3. J. maritimus, Lamarck ; — FI. N. Z. i. 263. Stout, tall, rather dark- 
coloured. Culms 1-2 ft. high, leafless, or with 1 or 2 stout, long, terete, 
pungent leaves, surrounded with large sheaths at the base, finely striate. 
Panicle large, lateral, effuse, erect, much branched, often a span long, branches 
strict, compressed. Flow'ers fascicled, in. long ; bracts as long as the 
flowers. Perianth segments lanceolate, acuminate. Stamens 6. Capsule 
ovoid, as long as the perianth. Testa produced at each end. 
Northern and Middle Islands: abundant on the coasts. Equally abundant in Aus- 
VOL. I. U 
