Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

61. Juncaceae, the Rush Family

1. Juncus L. -- Rush

14. Juncus nodosus L. -- Jointed rush

Slender rhizomatous perennial 1.5-5 dm tall. Leaves cauline and basal, the upper ones and the main involucre usually overtopping the inflorescence; blades terete, hollow, nodulose-septate, 0.5-1.5(2) mm wide when pressed; sheaths green, the margins green, becoming yellowish and membranous toward the summit; auricles membranous, yellowish, 0.5-1.5 mm long. Inflorescence usually oblong, 2-6 cm long, sparingly branched, the branches ascending, each branch terminated with a glomerule; glomerules (1)2-several, spherical at maturity, many-flowered, 1 cm or less across. Flowers greenish to brown, 3-4 mm long; tepals attenuate, the margins very narrowly hyaline, the outer and inner equal in length or nearly so; stamens 6. Capsules subulate, 1-locular, exceeding the perianth, dehiscing from the base and remaining coherent at the tip; seeds cylindric-ellipsoid, pale brown to brown, ca. 0.4 mm long, apiculate on the ends. Jul--Sep. Wet meadows, springs, fens, shores and stream banks, where water is fresh; frequent; (Newf. and N.S. to Mack. and B.C., s to VA, OH, IN, IA, NE, CO, NM and CA).

See notes under J. alpinus and J. torreyi.

Map key

Next Section -- Juncus marginatus Rostk. -- Grassleaf rush
Return to Family -- Juncaceae - The Rush Family
Next Section -- Juncus scirpoides Lam.

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