Juncus falcatus E.Mey. APNI*
Description: Rhizomatous perennial. Culms ± terete to compressed, 5–10–35 cm long, 0.7–2 mm diam.
Leaves basal or often with 1 or 2 cauline leaves, shorter than to longer than culms; blade flat, 1–3 mm wide; auricles absent; sheath straw-brown.
Inflorescence terminal, head-like or occasionally with 1 subsidiary cluster on a short branch (rarely to 4 clusters), 1–3 cm long, (rarely 5) 10–20 (occasionally to 25) flowers per cluster; involucral bract 1, well-developed, 0.5–1.3 (rarely to 9) cm long, shorter than to longer than inflorescence. Tepals greenish or straw-brown centrally, much darker brown towards margins; outer tepals 3.9–5.0 mm long, longer than or equalling inner tepals, with thin-textured red-brown margins; inner tepals with broad hyaline or white margins. Stamens 6, shorter than outer tepals; anthers 0.9–1.3 mm long.
Capsule longer than or equalling (occasionally shorter than) outer tepals, ellipsoid to narrow-ellipsoid, obtuse, depressed, apiculate, dark red-brown, darker near apex.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: South from Llangothlin on the tablelands. Grows in high-altitude to alpine swamps.
NSW subdivisions: NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
The culms, bracts, leaf apices, tepals and branches are ± scaberulous, unlike any other species in this subgenus (cf. also J. radula in subgenus Genuini).
Text by K. L. Wilson, L. A. S. Johnson & P. Bankoff (1993); edited KL Wilson (July 2016, Nov 2022) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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