keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

704 JUNCACEAE/JUNCUS
2. Flowers in clusters of usually 2–8(–25), the clusters subtended by as many bracteoles as there
are flowers, the individual flowers usually without their own bracteoles (occasionally an extra
bracteole will be present below an individual flower); plants typically of brackish waters; species
rare in se part of East TX ___________________________________________________ J. roemerianus
2. Flowers solitary (can be deceptively crowded), the individual flowers usually subtended by a
pair of bracteoles, any apparent cluster of flowers not subtended by a set of bracteoles (note:
nodes of inflorescence also typically have a bracteole); plants common in freshwater situations;
including species widespread and common in East TX.
3. Upper leaf sheaths without blades; capsules obovoid, clearly longer than broad, obtuse,
truncate, or even depressed apically, (1.5–)1.7–3.2 mm long; flowers numerous, 30–100 per
panicle; perianth 1.9–2.6(–3.5) mm long ____________________________________________ J. effusus
3. Upper leaf sheaths with blades; capsules spherical (rarely slightly ovoid), ca. as broad as
long, apically turgid, not at all truncate or depressed, (3–)3.5–5 mm long; flowers few, 2–25
per panicle; perianth 3.5–5 mm long _____________________________________________ J. coriaceus
1. Inflorescence(s) terminal, or both terminal and appearing lateral; leafy bracts present below inflorescence,
these either short or long.
4. Small tufted annuals 5–18(–40) cm tall; leaves ca. 0.5 mm or less broad, inrolled or flat, not
nodulose (= without knot-like septa or cross-partitions).
5. Flowering stems usually branched; inflorescence not head-like; leaf blades inrolled, filiform;
bracteoles usually 2 beneath each flower; stamens often 6, rarely 3 _____________________ J. bufonius
5. Flowering stems unbranched; inflorescence of 1–2 head-like clusters which appear sessile;
leaf blades flat; bracteoles not present beneath each flower; stamens 3 _________________ J. capitatus
4. Perennials 8–150+ cm tall; leaves various.
6. Flowers solitary at ends of pedicels or in few-flowered clusters, not forming a dense headlike
cluster or glomerule (sometimes clustered in J. dudleyi); leaf blades usually thin and
flat, or slender and terete, neither equitant (= 2-ranked, folded around a stem in the manner
of the legs of a rider around a horse) nor nodulose (= with knot-like septa or crosspartitions);
each individual flower closely subtended by a pair of opposite (or nearly so)
bracteoles clearly smaller than the perianth (except without bracteoles in J. marginatus
and J. repens).
7. Flowers solitary at ends of pedicels (but may be crowded); stamens 6.
8. Capsules oblong, distinctly 3-locular; leaf blades flat or inrolled; species limited to w
part of East TX (Grayson and Navarro cos.) _______________________________ J. brachyphyllus
8. Capsules oblong-ovoid to globose-ovoid, apparently 1-locular or incompletely 3-locular;
leaf blades flat, inrolled, or terete; including species widespread in East TX.
9. Leaf auricles (at summit of leaf sheath) 1–3.5(–5) mm long, prolonged, distinctly
longer than broad, scarious (= thin and dry) or scarious margined.
10. Plants (30–)70–90 cm tall; leaf blades (10–)20–30 cm long; capsules < 3/4 as
long as perianth, 2–3.2 mm long, widely spaced along the usually uncongested
branches of the inflorescence ______________________________________ J. anthelatus
10. Plants 8–30(–50) cm tall; leaf blades 3–12 cm long; capsules 3/4 or more as
long as perianth, (3.3–)3.8–4.7 mm long, � crowded, the branches of the inflorescence
often congested _____________________________________________ J. tenuis
9. Leaf auricles 0.3–1 mm long, rounded, not longer than broad, papery or leathery.
11. Leaf blades usually strongly inrolled, thread-like, grooved on one side or terete;
bracteoles subtending flowers acute or acuminate; flowers few and widely
scattered _______________________________________________________ J. dichotomus
11. Leaf blades flat or inrolled; bracteoles subtending flowers obtuse or acute; flowers
often rather crowded.
12. Flowers partly solitary, partly in tight clusters of 2–5; main inflorescence
bractusually longer than inflorescence; auricles (at summit of leaf sheath)