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Telopea 9 ( 2 ): 2001 
Illustrations: Fig. 2a, b; also Podlech (1979: fig. 203a, b); Snogerup (1985: fig. 1(22); 
Keighery (1985: fig. 1); Brooks and Kuhn (1986: figs 22, 23); Balslev (1996: fig. 11E, F 
[SEM of seed], fig. 38F, G); Wilson et al. (1993: 274). 
Anatomy illustrated: Buchenau (1890: pi. 2, fig. 3, pi. 3, fig. 5); Cutler (1969: fig. 2A-D; 
Femandez-Carvajal (1982b: figs 67-71). 
Distribution and habitat: Most probably adventive in the Philippines, where it is only 
known from Mt Santo Tomas on Luzon, at 1900 m altitude, along bridle-trails in mossy 
forests (Backer 1951). Also recorded from Mt Kinabalu (Borneo), where it is most 
probably also adventive, growing at 3500 m altitude in cleared areas beside huts. Now 
a cosmopolitan weed, but probably originally native to Europe, the Mediterranean 
region, temperate Asia and perhaps eastern North America (Cope and Stace 1978). 
Notes: The above description is based on the full range of variation seen in this very 
variable, cosmopolitan taxon. The plants are often up to about 30 cm high, the 
inflorescence being about % of this height, as in the Sabah specimens. The Philippines 
collection fits well within this range, but the Sabah specimens are extreme in having 
strongly excurved tepals 6-12 mm long (some to 20 mm fide Veldkamp), and anthers 
0.6-1.8 times as long as filaments (Veldkamp 1982 and pers. comm.). The extremely 
long tepals result from the tendency to proliferation and the 'conversion' of the tepals 
into a more leaf-like form as in, for example, a few Australian collections that we have 
seen (e.g. F. Rodway s.n., Nowra, Sep 1929 (K)).This extreme morphology may result 
from isolation and enforced inbreeding instead of facultative inbreeding. As described 
by Veldkamp, these plants may become prostrate and proliferate at the nodes. Cope 
and Stace (1978) found that proliferation could be induced by crowding in 
experimental populations, although not found by them in the wild. 
Various forms have been recognised at infraspecific or specific level, in part based on 
ploidy level (Cope and Stace 1978,1983,1985; Snogerup 1971,1985). However, there is 
not a wholly satisfactory treatment as yet, perhaps because it has been spread so 
widely around the world, making it difficult to distinguish native from naturalised 
forms and occurrences. Thus, even though the Sabah specimens are morphologically 
extreme, neither J.F. Veldkamp (pers. comm.) nor we have considered it appropriate to 
describe the Sabah variation under a formal name at this time. 
The species is often (?usually) cleistogamous (Buchenau 1906: 27; Rnuth 1909; 
Snogerup 1985; Keighery 1985: fig. 1), with its stamens, stigmas and styles seldom 
exposed. Muller (1883) quoted studies suggesting that it was cleistogamous in Russia 
but in Germany was generally out-breeding, with some terminal cleistogamous 
flowers in an inflorescence. Arber (1925) considered it to be always cleistogamous. 
Cope and Stace (1985) suggested that it tends more to cleistogamy in colder regions. 
Collections examined: BORNEO: Sabah: Between Carson's Camp and Panalaban, 2700-3400 m, 
M. Hotta 3905,16 Jan 1969 (L ex KYO (n.v.)); southern slope of Mt Kinabalu, 11,000 ft [3500 m], J.M.B. 
Smith s.n., 12 Aug 1967 (K); Panar Laban 'old' huts, 3300 m, J.M.B. Smith 464, 
28 Jul 1978 (L ex KLU (n.v.)); Sayat-Sayat Hut, 3760 m, J.M.B. Smith 520 ,29 Jul 1978 (L ex KLU (n.v.)). 
PHILIPPINES: Luzon: Mt Santo Tomas, Benguet Subprovince, Luzon, E.D. Merrill 7794, May 1911 
(BM, K). 
5. Juncus decipiens (Buchenau) Nakai 
(Nakai 1928: 35). 
/. effusus var. decipiens Buchenau (Buchenau 1890: 229). Type citation: 'Japan (prope 
Yokohama, Nagasaki et Hakodate leg. cel. C.J. Maximowicz; Yokoska, Nippon; Savatier, 
1353 (!; forma intermedia).' 
