Juncus pallescens Lam. APNI* Synonyms: Juncus dombeyanus J.Gay ex Laharpe APNI*
Description: Tufted or shortly rhizomatous perennial. Culms terete or slightly compressed, 20–80 cm long, 1.0–2.5 mm diam.
Leaves unitubulose, several basal and 0 or 1 spread along culms, shorter than or equalling culms; blade terete to slightly compressed, 0.8–3.5 mm diam.; auricles 1.5–3.5 mm long.
Inflorescence terminal, diffuse, 2–10 cm long; flowers clustered at apex of branches, (4-)8–20 flowers per hemispherical to globose cluster and 3–10(-20) clusters per inflorescence; involucral bract 1, well-developed, 1–5 cm long, shorter than inflorescence. Tepals usually red-brown, with broad hyaline to whitish margins; outer tepals 3.0–4.5 mm long, equalling or slightly longer than inner tepals. Stamens 6 (rarely 3), shorter than outer tepals; anthers 0.5–0.9 mm long.
Capsule shorter than (rarely equalling or slightly longer than) outer tepals, obovoid to ellipsoid, obtuse, apiculate, yellow-brown. Seeds 0.3–0.4 mm long, c. 0.2 mm diam.
Flowering: spring–summer
Distribution and occurrence: Naturalised in NSW, from Karuah to Bermagui, also Gloucester Tops; naturalised in Vic, ?Tas and WA; native of South America. Damp disturbed areas.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC
Other Australian states: *Vic. *W.A.
Previously confused with the closely related J. microcephalus in Australasia but more common than that species.
Text by KL Wilson Nov 2022; edited KL Wilson (Feb 2023)
Taxon concept: Kirschner (2002)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
