Juncus
Sp. Pl. 1: 325. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5; 152, 1754.
Herbs, perennial or rarely annual, rhizomatous or cespitose. Culms round or flattened in cross-section. Cataphylls often present at culm base. Leaves: sheaths open; blade flat, channeled, ensiform or terete, sometimes septate, margins involute. Inflorescences terminal or pseudoaxillary, monochasia or dichasia, usually with monochasial branches, cymes or 1–many heads in racemes or panicles; bracteoles 2 or absent. Flowers: tepals (4–) 6 in 2 whorls; stamens (2–) 3–6. Capsules 1-locular or 3-locular, septicidal. Seeds many, ellipsoid to ovoid, sometimes tailed.
Distribution
Worldwide except Antarctica
Discussion
Species ca. 300 (95 in the flora).
Selected References
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Flowers borne singly; bracteoles present (except J. pelocarpus, J. subtilis). | > 2 |
| 1 | Flowers in heads; bracteoles absent. | > 4 |
| 2 | Inflorescences appearing lateral, inflorescence bract terete, erect, appearing to be continuation of culm; basal leaves bladeless, cauline leaves absent | Juncus subg. Genuini |
| 2 | Inflorescences appearing terminal, inflorescence bract erect or ascending, flat, involute or terete; basal leaves (at least some) usually with blade, cauline leaves present or absent. | > 3 |
| 3 | Leaves terete, septate; capsules beaked | Juncus subg. Septati |
| 3 | Leaves flat, involute or terete, not septate; capsule rarely beaked | Juncus subg. Poiophylli |
| 4 | Leaves flat or ensiform. | > 5 |
| 4 | Leaves terete or compressed. | > 6 |
| 5 | Leaves ensiform, imperfectly septate | Juncus subg. Ensifolii |
| 5 | Leaves flat, not septate | Juncus subg. Graminifolii |
| 6 | Capsules large; seeds large, long tailed; leaves not noticeably septate | Juncus subg. Alpini |
| 6 | Capsules smaller; seeds not tailed or if tailed not long; leaves septate or not. | > 7 |
| 7 | Leaves not septate; plants halophytic | Juncus subg. Juncus |
| 7 | Leaves septate; plants usually of fresh water habitats | Juncus subg. Septati |
... more about "Juncus"
persistent +
white +
septate +
glabrous +
terete;ensiform;channeled;flat +
leaflike +
more2;1 +
absent +
monochasial +
septicidal +
Worldwide except Antarctica +
earlike +
symmetric +
single +
bisexual +
headlike +
loculicidal +
1;many +
reduced +
basal +
hairy +
involute +
superior +
green;brown or purplish black +
persistent +
basal +
Sp. Pl. +
1754 +
many +
tailed;ellipsoid;ovoid +
green;brown or purplish black +
persistent +
open +
overlapping +
fused +
generally longer +
translucent +
reduced +
Juncus +
Juncaceae +
genus +
rhizomatous +