Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
61. Juncaceae, the Rush Family
1. Juncus L. -- Rush4. Juncus brevicaudatus (Engelm.) Fern.
Densely tufted perennial 1.5-5 dm tall. Leaves both cauline and basal; blades terete, hollow, nodulose-septate, 1-2 mm wide when pressed; sheaths green or sometimes reddish on basal leaves, the margins membranous and prolonged as 2 rounded auricles 1-2 mm long. Inflorescence rather narrow, 2-12 cm long, 1/3 to 1/6 as wide, sparsely to freely branched, the branches strongly ascending; glomerules obpyramidal, containing 2-7 flowers. Flowers greenish to golden brown or dark brown, 3-4 mm long; tepals acute to mucronate, with narrow scarious margins; stamens 3. Capsules oblong-pyriform to cylindric-ellipsoid, 1-locular, much surpassing the perianth; seeds fusiform, brown, 0.9-1.2 mm long, with membranous, taillike appendages at both ends, the body comprising 3/5 or more of the total length. Aug--Sep. Wet meadows, marshes, fens and shores; rare, with records from Bottineau and McHenry Counties, ND; (Que. and N.S. to n Alta., s to MA, WV, PA, MN and ND).
This species may be the basis for earlier reports in ND of the similar J.
brachycephalus (Engelm.) Buch.
Next Section -- Juncus balticus Willd. -- Baltic rush
Return to Family -- Juncaceae - The Rush Family
Next Section -- Juncus bufonius L. -- Toad rush
