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constantly two (see discussion above under Characteristics), but this may be difficult 
to discern in small or dense inflorescences or where there has been abortion of some 
flowers leaving extra bracts on a branch. 
1 Leaves flat, canaliculate, terete, or filiform, spread along the culms or all basal (if terete, leaves 
septate and spread along culms); inflorescence obviously terminal [capsules 1- or 3-locular] 
2 Leaves neither septate nor loosely pith-filled, flat or slightly canaliculate, mostly basal; 
auricles absent but often with hyaline margins narrowing abruptly at top of sheath; 
annuals; flowers subtended by 2 bracteoles; capsule 3-locular 
. (Section Tenageia) - 4. J. bufonius 
2* Leaves septate (if filiform, septa are not obvious), hollow or with very loose pith between 
septa, terete or dorsiventrally flattened, spread along culms; auricles present; perennials; 
flowers not subtended by bracteoles; capsule 1-locular . (Section Ozophyllum) 
3 Leaves unitubulose (i.e. with transverse septa only) and/or leaves less than 1 mm in 
diameter and therefore not easy to determine position of septa 
4 Stamens 6; dwarf plants with culms to c. 10 cm long at maturity; leaves more or less 
filiform, usually less than 1.0 mm diam., with septa usually not obvious; auricles 0.5-0.8 
mm long; capsule golden brown, usually much exceeding tepals, with long, tapering beak 
0.5-1.3 mm long . 1. J. sandwithii 
4* Stamens 3; plants with culms mostly 30-60 cm long; leaves 1.0-1.4 mm diam., with septa 
obvious; auricles 0.7-3 nun long; capsule golden brown to red-brown, shortly exceeding 
or equalling tepals, extending into a shortish beak (0.2-0.5 mm long) . 
. 2. J. wallichianus 
3* Leaves pluritubulose, more or less compressed [stamens 3 (rarely 6)] 
5 Capsule apex acute to broad-acute, without beak or with short beak to 0.2 mm long; 
capsule slightly exceeding (to 1 mm) or equalling tepals; upper margins of leaf sheaths 
more or less narrow (to 0.8 mm wide); culms 1.0-1.5 mm wide . 3. J. leschenaultii 
5* Capsule tapering more or less evenly to long-acuminate apex, with slender beak c. 0.3 
mm long; capsule exceeding tepals by 1-3 mm (to twice as long); upper margins of leaf 
sheaths usually broad (to 1.5 mm wide); culms 1.3-3 mm wide 
... 9. J. prismatocarpus 
1* Leaves reduced to basal sheathing non-septate cataphylls (but pseudo-leaf shoots [= sterile 
culms] can be long, terete and leaf-like); inflorescence apparently lateral, with the lowest 
involucral bract well-developed and appearing superficially to be a continuation of tire culm; 
capsules 3-locular or 3-septate [flowers subtended by 2 bracteoles (bracteoles can appear to be 
more numerous by abortion of lateral flowers, leaving relictual bracts — see text); perennials] 
... (Section Juncotypus) 
6 Culms glaucous, with few (10-22) broad striations, widely spaced (c. 0.2 mm apart) [pith 
interrupted or rarely continuous] . 6. J. inflexus 
6* Culms not glaucous, with 20-c. 50 fine striations or striations not obvious (J. nupela), closely 
packed 
7 Culm striations obvious, strongly defined at least on the dried culm surface; tepals 2-4 mm 
long; stamens 3; capsules 3-locular 
8 Culms soft, easy to compress between the fingers; pith continuous; cataphylls dark red- 
brown at least near base abaxially. 5. J. decipiens 
8* Culms hard to compress between the fingers; pith interrupted; cataphylls dark golden 
brown abaxially. 7. J. durus 
7* Culm striations faint, not clearly defined on culm surface; tepals 5.5-6 mm long; stamens 
6; capsules 3-septate [pith continuous; cataphylls dark golden brown]. 8. J. nupela 
