Part 7. JUNCACEAE 2: Juncus - Species Plantarum Programme

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SPECIES PLANTARUM — FLORA OF THE WORLD (2002)
A very variable species, exhibiting variation in some features ±constant in other taxa (e.g., the
length of rhizome). The characters used for discrimination of the numerous taxa believed to
be distinct from the typical J. capensis (names listed in the above synonymy) mostly concern
the richness and shape of inflorescence, size of flowers and general growth. The common
intermediates between the ecotypic forms and other morphological extremes show that all the
morphotypes belong to a single, variable species.
16. Juncus caespiticius E.Mey., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 2: 47 (1846)
T: [Western Australia, Perth, Canning R.] ad fluvium Canning (Perth) novae Hollandiae, 2 Nov 1839, L.Preiss
[Pl. Austral. Occid.] 1733; lecto: W, designated here; iso: BM, BREM, K, L, MEL, NSW, P, W.
Juncus similis Buchenau, Krit. Verz. Juncac. 93 (1879). T: [Western Australia] Swan River, J.Drummond 937;
syn: W; 'Australasia S. R.', Hügel; syn: W; [South Australia] Schieckens Schlucht, [H.H.]Behr; syn: W; [South
Australia] Third Ck, Jan 1848, F.Mueller; syn: MEL, P, W; [Tasmania] Van Diemensland, C.Stuart; syn: W.
Juncus caespiticius var. bracteatus Buchenau, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 12: 439 (1890). T: New Zealand,
Stephenson 97; lecto: K, fide E.Edgar, in L.B.Moore & E.Edgar, Fl. New Zealand 2: 68 (1970); iso: W.
Perennials, (5–) 10–55 cm tall, densely caespitose; rhizome short; stolons absent. Stem
smooth, sometimes flowering in the first year and then plants very slender. Leaves basal,
±flat to canaliculate, narrowly linear, c. 5–8 (–15) cm long, usually 1.0–1.2 (–3.5) mm wide,
(to 8 mm wide near base); margins often narrowly hyaline; apex acute to mucronate; auricles
absent. Lower bract 2–11 cm long, narrow, subequalling inflorescence or longer than it.
Inflorescence anthelate or umbelloid, rarely ±congested, of 1–10 (–20) hemispherical to cupshaped
2–10 (–20)-flowered clusters c. 5–7 mm wide. Capitulum bracts ±ovate-lanceolate,
stramineous to castaneous, to c. 2.5 mm long. Tepals ±unequal; outer tepals shorter or
equalling inner ones, lanceolate, carinate, acuminate to acute, 1.5–3.0 mm long, pale
castaneous-brown with paler ±minutely papillose to smooth midrib; inner tepals subobtuse,
±ovate, c. 2.4–3.0 mm long, broadly membranous-bordered. Stamens 6; anthers 0.4–0.8 mm
long; filaments 0.4–0.6 mm long; style 0.2–0.4 mm long; stigmas 0.6–0.8 mm long. Capsule
ovoid to ellipsoid, subacute to ±obtuse, subtrigonous, c. 2.5 mm long, trilocular, smooth,
dark golden brown to red-brown, shorter than or equalling outer tepals. Seeds broadly ovoid,
0.4–0.6 × c. 0.35 mm, pale brown, faintly reticulate; appendages absent. Fig. 51.
Widely distributed in southern Australia and New Zealand. 50: NSW, SOA, TAS, VIC,
WAU. 51: NZN, NZS. In damp, sandy places, often in swampy, brackish ground. Map 194.
50. NEW SOUTH WALES: La Perouse, 16 Mar 1973, L.A.S.Johnson 7603, Jacobs & R.Coveny, (NSW).
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: c. 32 km SE of Mt Gambier, Piccaninnie Ponds Natl Park, Cornwall 153, (AD, NSW).
TASMANIA: Tea Tree Ck swamp, c. 2 km E of Buckland, 14 Dec 1968, Robinson s.n., (HO, NSW255185);
King Island, SE of Dead Sea Lagoon, 4 Mar 1966, J.Willis s.n., (MEL, NSW255186). VICTORIA: Near
Mallacoota aerodrome, R.Melville 2762 & N.A.Wakefield, 9 Jan 1953 (K, NSW); Coimadai Ck, Bacchus
Marsh, Long Forest Flora Reserve, 2 Feb 1991, Stajsic 153, (BRI, HO, MEL, NSW). WESTERN
AUSTRALIA: Ellen Brook, Bullsbrook area, Twin Swamps Wildlife Sanctuary, 28 Dec 1971, N.T.Burbidge
7951, (CANB, NSW). 51. NORTH IS.: Hawera, Taranaki, T.F.Cheeseman 19 (W). SOUTH IS.: S end of
lagoon at mouth of Styx & Waimakariri Rivers, 14 Feb 1966, E.Edgar s.n. (CHR, K, NSW90865); S of
Waimakariri River mouth, 25 May 1960, E.Edgar 7 (CHR, NSW).
New Zealand plants from less wet habitats sometimes have subcongested to almost globular
inflorescences, and were described as var. bracteatus. Western Australian plants often have
small flowers (tepals c. 1.5 mm long) but the plants are still as robust as in eastern Australia.
17. Juncus meianthus L.A.S.Johnson ex K.L.Wilson, in J.Kirschner & Z.Kaplan, Taxon
50: 1112 (2001)
Juncus gracilis R.Br., Prodr. 259 (1810), nom. illeg., non Roth (1787) nec Sm. (1800) T: ‘M’ [=Ora
Meridionalis]; [Western Australia], King George III's Sound, R.Brown [Bennett 5782]; holo: BM; iso: K.
Juncus gracilis var. humilis Benth., Fl. Austral. 7: 125 (1878). T: [Western] Australia, Karri Dale [Karridale],
Dec 1867, P.Walcott; holo: K; iso: MEL.
Perennials, (6–) 10–25 (–30) cm tall, loosely caespitose; rhizome long, ±vertical, distally
±leafy; stolons absent. Leaves basal, 5–18 (–29) cm long, canaliculate but almost terete near