Juncus torreyi

Illustrator: Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, (3–)4–10 dm. Rhizomes 1–3 mm diam., with swollen nodes. Culms erect, terete, 3–5 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 0. Leaves: basal 1–3, cauline 2–5, auricles 1–4 mm, apex rounded, scarious; blade strawberry-colored, green, or pink, terete, 13–30 cm × 1–5 mm. Inflorescences terminal clusters of 1–23 heads or single heads, 2–5.5 cm, branches spreading; primary bract erect to ascending; heads 25–100-flowered, globose, 10–15 mm diam. Flowers: tepals green to straw-colored, occasionally reddish, lanceolate-subulate; outer tepals (3.7–)4–6 mm, apex acuminate; inner tepals (3–) 3.4–4.6 mm, apex acuminate; stamens 6, anthers 1/2 filament length. Capsules equaling perianth or slightly exserted, straw-colored or chestnut brown, 1-locular, lance-subulate, 4.3–5.7 mm, apex tapering to subulate tip, valves separating at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle. Seeds oblong to ellipsoid, 0.4–0.5 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown. 2n = 40.

Phenology: Fruiting early summer–fall.
Habitat: Wet sandy shores, edges of sloughs, along slightly alkaline watercourses, swamps, sometimes on clay soils, calcareous wet meadows, and alkaline soils
Elevation: 0–600

Distribution

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Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Ont., Que., Sask., Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo., Mexico (Baja California, probably elsewhere in n Mexico).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.