399 
Juncus edgariae (Juncaceae) — a new species 
from New Zealand 
L.A.S. Johnson r and K.L. Wilson 
Abstract 
L.A.S. Johnson and K.L. Wilson. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney NSW 2000, 
Australia) 2001. ] uncus edgariae (Juncaceae) — a new species from New Zealand. Telopea 9(2): 399M,02. 
The new species Juncus edgariae (in section Juncotypus) is described from New Zealand. It is allied 
to J. gregiflorus (Australia) and /. durus (New Guinea). 
Introduction 
The genus Juncus in Australasia was studied over many years by the first author, with 
assistance from the second author. The death of LASJ in 1997 left half-completed 
manuscripts of a revision of the genus in Australasia and Malesia and also a Flora of 
Australia treatment, which KLW is now completing. Publication of this new species in 
the 'leafless' (i.e. with leaves reduced to cataphylls) section juncotypus (formerly 
known as section Genuini — Kirschner et al. 1999) is needed in advance of the main 
papers so that it can be included in the family treatment in the IOP1 Species Plantarum 
Project's Flora of the World series being completed by a team led by Jan Kirschner 
(Pruhonice). 
Juncus edgariae L.A.S. Johnson et K.L. Wilson, sp. nov. 
Affinis J. gregifloro sed culmis flavovirentibus nitentioribusque, medulla culmi densiori, 
minus interrupta, lacunis plusminusve ellipsoideis, capsulis fuscantioribus, differt. 
Type: New Zealand: South Island: S of Waimakariri River mouth, £. Edgar 8, 25 May 
1960; holo NSW; iso CHR 113606. 
Strongly rhizomatous perennial. Culms terete, more or less hard (i.e. relatively difficult 
to compress), shining, yellow-green, 40-130 cm long, 0.6-2.5 mm diam.; striations 
22-60; pith interrupted with irregular, more or less circular or longitudinally 
ellipsoidal gaps, occasionally continuous above. Leaves reduced to basal cataphylls 
(mucro plus sheath) 5-18 cm long, lax around the culm, abaxially golden brown to 
dark yellow-brown or dark red-brown at base, adaxially golden brown. Inflorescence 
2-6 cm long, diffuse, with densely clustered flowers, 3-20 per cluster and 1-20 clusters 
per inflorescence; lowest inflorescence bract erect, culm-like, 6-21 cm long, exceeding 
inflorescence. Flowers subtended by 2 bracteoles. Tepals 6, acute to acuminate or 
mucronate, straw-brown, occasionally tinged red-brown; outer tepals 1.7-2.6 mm 
long, exceeding inner tepals, with very narrow hyaline margins; inner tepals with 
broad hyaline margins. Stamens 3, shorter than outer tepals; anthers 0.4-0.6 mm long, 
less than or equalling filament length. Capsule 3-locular, slightly shorter than to 
slightly exceeding outer tepals, ellipsoid, dark golden brown, obtuse, shortly 
apiculate. Seeds 0.4-0.5(-0.6) mm long. 
Illustrations: Figure 1; also Edgar (1964: figs 4,18); Edgar in Moore & Edgar (1970: fig. 
13); Healy (1970: fig. 34) (all as /. gregiflorus). 
t Deceased 1 August 1997. 
