Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
61. Juncaceae, the Rush Family
1. Juncus L. -- Rush18. Juncus vaseyi Engelm.
Tufted perennial 2-6 dm tall. Leaves mostly basal, arising from well within the lower 1/4 of the stem; blades to 3 dm long, usually not surpassing the stem, 0.5-1 mm wide, terete, solid, not nodulose-septate, narrowly channeled on the upper surface; sheaths green or reddish, the margins and auricles membranous, pale green or pale brown. Inflorescence rather compact and crowded, 1-4 cm long; main involucre shorter than to greatly surpassing the inflorescence; bracteoles obtuse, scarious, 1-2 mm long. Flowers solitary, sessile or on short pedicels, greenish to light brown, 4-5.5 mm long; tepals acute, with narrow hyaline margins, the outer ones averaging only slightly longer than the inner; stamens 6. Capsules cylindric, almost completely 3-locular, exceeding the perianth; seeds fusiform, brown, 0.8-1.3 mm long, including the membranous taillike appendages at both ends. Jul--Aug. Wet meadows and shores; rare, with one collection from Bottineau Co., ND; (N.S. to B.C., s to NY, IN, IA, ND, CO and ID).
Next Section -- Juncus torreyi Cov. -- Torrey rush
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