294 JUNCACEAE. [ Juncus. 
Stamens 6 or 3. Capsule exceeding the perianth, ovoid-trigonous, obtuse or 
shortly pointed, shining, stramineous to chestnut-brown, incompletely 
3-celled. Seeds minute, obliquely obovoid, ferruginous, apiculate.—Benith. 
Fl. Austral. vii (1878) 129; T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv (1882) 384 ; 
Buchen. Monog. Junc. (1890) 238; Pflanzenr. Heft 25 (1906) 140; Cheesem. 
Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 725. | 
Var. Gunnii Buchen. Monog. Junc. (1890) 239.— Basal leat-scales and flowers 
more deeply coloured. Stamens usually 6. Capsule longer, darker at the tip.—Pflanzenr. 
Heft 25 (1906) 141. J. Gunnii Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii (1860) 67. 
Norte AND Sours Istanps: Both the species and variety not uncommon in 
wet places throughout. Sea-level to 2500 ft. December—February. 
Also in Australia, where it ranges from Queensland to Tasmania. In its usual 
state distinguished without much difficulty by the small size, very slender stems, 
lax few-flowered inflorescence, and ovoid-trigonous capsule distinctly longer than the 
perianth, but specimens with a closer many-flowered inflorescence cannot be separated 
from J. polyanthemos in the absence of ripe fruit. 
3. J. vaginatus R. Br. Prodr. (1810) 258.—Very densely tufted, rather 
stout, 2-3 ft. high or even more. Rhizome stout, woody, creeping. Stems 
very closely packed on the rhizome, ~y-¢in. diam., strict, erect, terete, 
finely striate; pith interrupted with irregular cavities; basal sheaths 
large, rather lax, smooth and shining and dark red-brown at the base, 
pale straw-coloured and distinctly grooved above. Inflorescence lateral, 
large, branched; the branches few or many, stiff, erect, rather close 
together, bearing distinct compact globose many-flowered heads. Flowers 
go-hin. long, pale-brown. Perianth-segments lanceolate, acute, stramine- 
ous, the inner ones rather shorter than the outer. Stamens usually 3, 
rarely 6. Capsule equalling the perianth or only very slightly exceeding 
it, broadly oblong, obscurely trigonous, obtuse at the tip.—Benth. Fl. 
Austral. vii (1878) 129; Buchen. in Engl. Bot. Jahr. xxi (1895) 264; 
Pflanzenr. Heft 25 (1906) 141; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 726. 
J. australis Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii (1860) 66, t. 184; Handb. N.Z. Fi. 
(1864) 289. J. tenax Sol. in Forst. f. Prodr, (1786) n. 514, fide Rendle m 
Journ. Bot. xxxvin (1900) 80. 
Nortu anp Sours Istanps: Marshy places from the North Cape to Banks 
Peninsula, not uncommon. December—February. 
This can be easily separated from the following species by the larger size, by 
the inflorescence being split up into distinct little rounded cymes or groups of flowers, 
and by the larger and rather narrower capsule; but some states are difficult to place. 
Smaller and more slender forms show an approach to J. pauciflorus, but the capsule 
of that species usually much exceeds the perianth. 
4. J. polyanthemos Buchen. in Engl. Bot. Jahr. xx (1895) 261. 
Brownish-green, very densely tufted, 1-3 ft. high. Rhizome short, hori- 
zontal. Stems crowded on the rhizome, s-}in. diam., soft or stiff and 
wiry, terete, finely striate; pith usually interrupted; basal sheaths 
appressed, rigid, opaque, smooth below, grooved above. Inflorescence 
lateral; cymes large, usually dense, but not contracted, much branched : 
branches slender, unequal. Flowers numerous, small, ;—-75 in. long, green 
or pale-chestnut, usually scattered along the branches of the cyme, rarely 
collected into groups. Perianth-segments thin, green, linear-lanceolate, 
equal or the outer rather longer, acute, thin, margins membranous. 
Stamens 3, shorter than the perianth; anthers linear. Fruit globose- 
trigonous, obtuse or almost retuse at the tip, thin, shining, pale ferruginous 
