Juncus modicus N. E. Br.

Plants perennial, densely tufted, 4--15 cm tall. Stems 0.3--0.5 mm in diam. Cataphylls 1--3. Basal leaves 2 or 3, 3.5--10 cm; cauline leaves 1 or 2, 0.2--2 cm; leaf sheath auricles obtuse, ca. 0.5 × 0.5 mm, membranous; leaf blade linear, 1--5 cm. Inflorescences terminal; head solitary, 6--9 mm in diam., 4--8-flowered; basal bracts 0.5--0.7 mm, slightly shorter than or subequaling inflorescence. Perianth segments milk white to yellowish, narrowly lanceolate, 3--4 × 0.7--1 mm, subequal, apex obtuse to acuminate. Stamens 6; filaments 3.2--4 mm; anthers 1.2--2.2 mm. Style 0.8--1.5 mm; stigmas 0.8--1.2 mm. Capsule chestnut brown at maturity, trigonous ovoid, 3.5--4.5 mm, 1-loculed, apex beaked; beak 0.8--1 mm. Seeds oblong, 0.5--0.7 mm; appendages 2, white, ca. 0.2 mm. Fl. Jun--Aug, fr. Sep.

Gansu, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang.

* Wet places in forests, mountain valleys, rock crevices; 1700--2900 m.