Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
61. Juncaceae, the Rush Family
1. Juncus L. -- Rush17. Juncus torreyi Cov. -- Torrey rush
Similar to J. nodosus but more robust, 2-8 dm tall, the stems arising singly from tuberiferous rhizomes. Leaves mostly cauline, the upper ones frequently overtopping the inflorescence; blades terete, hollow, nodulose-septate, 1-3 mm wide when pressed; sheaths green, the margins white-hyaline; auricles white-hyaline, 1-3(4) mm long. Inflorescence of 1-many glomerules, these spherical, densely flowered, mostly 1 cm or more across. Flowers greenish to brown, 3-5 mm long; tepals attenuate, with narrow, white-hyaline margins, the outer tepals distinctly longer than the inner; stamens 6. Capsules subulate, 1-locular, about equal to or exceeding the perianth, dehiscing from the base; seeds cylindric-ellipsoid, pale brown to brown, ca. 0.4 mm long. Jul--Sep. Shores, stream banks, wet meadows, springs and ditches; common; (ME to B.C., s to KY, AL, TX, CO and CA).
A hymenopteran larva is responsible for the formation of bizarre galls which are often seen in this species and occasionally in J. nodosus. The galls appear as clusters of overlapping, bractlike leaves, yellow and red in color, typically in the position of the inflorescence on stunted culms.
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| Jancus torreyi, inflorescence. |
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