Part 6. JUNCACEAE 1: Rostkovia to Luzula - Species Plantarum ...

Juncaceae Juss., Gen. Pl. 43 (1789)
Type: Juncus L.
JUNCACEAE
Perennial, usually rhizomatous, less often annual herbs, glabrous or with hairy leaf margins;
rarely leaf abaxial surface with simple, many-celled trichomes. Silica bodies ±absent;
oxalate raphides absent; stomata paracytic. Stem erect to ascending, rarely procumbent,
usually terete, leafless or leaf-bearing. Leaves linear or filiform, spirally arranged, rarely
distichous; sheath closed or open, often auriculate; auricles rarely joined to form a ligule-like
structure; blades of basal leaves sometimes reduced (cataphylls). Inflorescence terminal,
rarely pseudolateral (bract resembles a continuation of stem), compound, cymose or
racemose, panicle-like or anthelate, many-flowered with flowers in many to one terminal
heads or spike-like clusters; lower inflorescence bracts usually herbaceous; each branch with
membranous bract and adaxial prophyll; flower bracteoles 1–2 or absent; rarely
inflorescence reduced to a single terminal or lateral (subterminal) flower. Flowers small,
usually up to 8 mm long (rarely to 40 mm), actinomorphic, hypogynous, usually
hermaphrodite, rarely unisexual (dioecious or monoecious). Perianth segments 6, in two
whorls, glumaceous, usually ±equal, free. Stamens 6 in two whorls or inner whorl reduced;
filaments filiform to flattened; anthers 2-thecate, 4-sporangiate, oblong to linear, basifixed,
dehiscence lateral; connective rarely with a projection; pollen in tetrads. Carpels 3, connate;
ovary superior, unilocular or 3-septate to 3-locular; style 1, distally 3-branched (stigmas),
papillae ±adaxial. Fruit an orbicular to oblong-ellipsoid loculicidal (rarely circumscissile)
capsule. Seeds 3–many; endosperm starchy; embryo small, broadly cylindric; outer seed-coat
hyaline, whitish to brownish, loose to adpressed, sometimes forming apical and/or basal
appendages; inner seed-coat usually brown to castaneous.
Seven genera, c. 440 species, almost cosmopolitan, common from temperate to polar regions;
mostly in the mountains in the tropics.
Closely related to the South African monotypic Prioniaceae (S.L.Munro & H.P.Linder, Syst.
Bot. 23: 43–55 (1998)) and to Thurniaceae and Cyperaceae (D.Simpson, in P.J.Rudall et al.
(eds.), Monocot. Syst. Evol. 497–509 (1995)).
G.Engelmann, A revision of the North American species of the genus Juncus, with a
description of new and imperfectly known species, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 2: 424–458
(1866), 459–499 (1868); F.G.P.Buchenau, Monographia Juncacearum, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 12:
1–495 (1890); F.G.P.Buchenau, Juncaceae, in H.G.A.Engler, Pflanzenr. (iv.36) Heft 25:
1–284 (1906); F.Vierhapper, Juncaceae, in H.G.A.Engler & K.Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 2nd
edn, 15a: 192–224 (1930); M.Barros, Las Juncáceas de la Argentina, Chile y Uruguay,
Darwiniana 10: 279–460 (1953); D.F.Cutler, Juncales, in C.R.Metcalfe, Anat. Monocot. 4:
1–358 (1969); L.J.Novara, Contribución al conocimiento de las inflorescencias de Juncus y
su significación taxonómica, Kurtziana 9: 41–61 (1976); V.S.Novikov, Konspekt sistemy
roda Juncus L. (Juncaceae), Byull. Moskovsk. Obshch. Isp. Prir., Otd. Biol. 95(5): 111–125
(1990); S.Snogerup, A revision of Juncus subgen. Juncus (Juncaceae), Willdenowia 23:
23–73 (1993); H.Balslev, Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 68: 1–168 (1996); H.Balslev, Juncaceae, in
K.Kubitzki (ed.), The families and genera of vascular plants, pp. 252–260 (1998);
R.E.Brooks, S.E.Clemants & J.Coffey Swab, 209. Juncaceae Jussieu. Rush Family, in Flora
of North America North of Mexico 22: 211–267 (2000); Wu Guofang & S.E.Clemants,
Juncaceae, in Wu Zhengyi & P.H.Raven, Fl. China 24, Flagellariaceae through
Marantaceae, pp. 44–69 (2000).
Throughout the text, unless otherwise stated, the term seed is used for seeds excluding their
appendages.
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