Bulbous Rush

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, often with basal bulblike swellings, occasionally appearing rhizomatous, 0.3--3 dm, to 10 dm when floating or submersed. Culms erect or decumbent and rooting at nodes, or floating, terete, 1--2 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 1, straw-colored, apex acute. Leaves: basal 1, cauline 0--1; auricles 0.4--1 mm, apex acute, scarious; blade terete, occasionally filiform, flaccid, forming carpets, 2--10 cm x 0.8--1.4 mm. Inflorescences terminal racemes of 1--8(--30) heads, or single head, 2--10 cm, branches erect; primary bract erect; heads 2--6(--15)-flowered, obconic, 4.5--6.5 mm diam. Flowers often forming bulbils; tepals pale brown, ovate to lanceolate or inner oblong, 2--3.6 mm, nearly equal, apex acute to obtuse; stamens 3 or 6, anthers 3/4 to equal filament length. Capsules equaling perianth or exserted (to 0.5 mm beyond tepals), chestnut brown, 1-locular, cylindric, 2.5--4 mm, apex obtuse proximal to beak, valves separating at dehiscence. Seeds ellipsoid, 0.5--0.6 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown.

probably introduced in North America; St. Pierre and Miquelon; B.C., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Oreg.; Wash.; Europe; n Africa.

Fruiting mid summer--early fall.

Margins and siliceous or peaty shores of pools and streams, often floating; 0--200m.

Juncus kockii F. W. Schultz; J. supinus Moench

Juncus bulbosus, the bulbous rush, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Juncus, native to Iceland, the Faroes, Europe, Macaronesia, and northwest Africa. It has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, and some locations in northern North America. It is capable of nuisance growth in lakes and streams.