Juncus cyperoides

Juncus cyperoides Laharpe, Essai monogr. Jonc. 57. 1825. Type: “L’Amerique meridionale”, L. Née s.n. (holotype G). Figs. 7, 8 Perennial herbs, 5-30 cm tall. Rhizome creeping and branching ascending, gradually changing into the culm, 0.7 1.5 mm diameter, internodes to 3 cm long, with up to 1.5 cm long, membranous scales and adventitious roots at the nodes. Cataphylls usually absent, or 1-3 to each culm, inconspicuous, membranous, 0.5-2 cm long, with rudimentary blade to 3 mm long. Foliar leaves 5-15 to each culm, separately and somewhat distantly inserted, sometimes clustered at the base of the culm, linear, 3-12 x 0.1-0.7 cm, flat, without raised margins and therefore not bifacially differentiated; sheaths 0.5-3 cm long, not differing from the blade, upper parts with or without membranous margin, without auricles. Inflorescence with (1 )5-40 flower heads in anthelate arrangement, each head on delicate, 0.2-0.3 mm thick branches; heads (3-)5-10 flowered, sometimes with viviparous shoots; lower inflorescence bract resembling cauline leaves, to 9 cm long, distal bracts shorter, floral bracts membranous, to 5 mm long. Tepals linear to lanceolate, equal to subequal, 2.2 4(-5) mm long, green with narrow membranous margin, turning castaneous and finally light brown, outer ones concave, inner ones flat. Stamens six, 2-3 mm long; filaments filiform; anthers linear, 0.5-1 mm long, much shorter than the filaments. Gynoecium with style ca. 0.5 mm long; stigmas 1.5-2 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid, trigonous, 2-3.5 x 1-1.5 mm, with ca. 0.5 mm long beak, about as long as the tepals, thin walled, 3-septate. Seeds ellipsoid, apiculate, 0.4 x 0.2 mm, reticulate, castaneous, ca. 40 per capsule. Distribution and habitat. J. cyperoides occurs in the Andes from Colombia to N Peru and Bolivia at elevations above 2000 m, and from Tucuman to Aysen in Argentina, and in adjacent Chile, sometimes at sea level. It grows in wet places in bogs, meadows, swamps, ditches, etc. In Colombia this species is found in center of the Cordillera Oriental (departments of Boyacá, Cundinamarca and Meta) and Macizo Colombiano (Cauca and Huila), at elevations of 2000-4000 m. Representative specimens. Boyacá: páramo de Pisba, Socha-La Punta road km 72, 3500 m, 9 Jun 1972, Cleef 4274, st (U, COL), 3570 m, 11 Jun 1972, Cleef 4372A, st (COL), 3580 m, 11 Jun 1972, Cleef 4391A, fl (COL), 3580 m, 11 Jun 1972, Cleef 4406A, st (COL); Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, S of lake Cuadrada, 4060 m, Cleef 5578A (COL). Cauca: river Palo, La Tolda above Tacueyo, 2000 m, 18 Dec 1944, Cuatrecasas 19458, fl (F, GH, MO, US); Silvía, Popayán, 2300-2600 m, n. d., Lehmann 8473, fl (F, GH, K, US); Mt. Puracé, 3600-3700 m, 12 Jun 1922, Pennell 6547, fl (GH, NY, PH, US); Coconuco, 2400 m, 25 Feb 1939, von Sneidern 2080, fl (F, G, NY, US). Cundinamarca: Chisacá, río Santa Rosa cerca de 1 km al S de laguna Larga, 3660 m, 22 Aug 1972, Cleef 5187, fl (AAU, COL, P); stream Chuza between páramos Palacio and Chingaza, 3640 m, 19 Sep 1972, Cleef 5476 (COL, P, U); Bogotá, laguna Chisacá 40 km al N de Sumapaz, 3300-4000 m, 10 Sep 1959, García-Barriga 17197B (COL); páramo Palacio, hacienda La Siberia, 3200-3400 m, 5 Jan 1960, Mora-Osejo 955 (COL); municipio La Calera, vereda Líbano, río Teusaca, 3000 m, 28 Apr 1985, Schmidt-Mumm 261 (COL). Meta: páramo de Sumapaz, laguna La Guitarra, 3450 m, 22 Jan 1971, Cleef 871A (COL st). Nariño: La Chorrera, 2600 m, 12 Jan 1952, Fernández-Pérez 1234, fl (COL); GRE, 2600 m, Feb 1951, Knoth 4005 (NY). Putumayo: Colón, 21 Mar 1940, de Garganta-Faabrega s.n., fl (COL).

Juncus

Cleef 4274
Cleef 4274
Cleef 4372
Cleef 4391
Cleef 5476
García 17197

Juncaceae