Juncus densiflorus

Juncus densiflorus Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (Quarto ed) 1: 238, 1: 190 (folio). 1816. Bonpland. Type: Venezuela. “in ripa fluminis Atabapi, juxta cataractam Guarinuma (Missiones del Alto-Orinoco)” A. von Humboldt & A. J. A. Bonpland s.n. (holotype P). Figs. 8, 9 Juncus densiflorus Kunth var. cyperinus Willd. Ex Buchenau, Junc. S. Amer. 397. 1879. Type: Colombia. Quindío: A. von Humboldt & A. J. A. Bonpland s.n. (holotype B-W6859). Perennial herbs, 65-135 cm tall. Rhizome horizontal, creeping, 3-8 mm diameter, scales thin, membranous, not covering the rhizome, internodes 1.5-2 cm long. Culms erect, 2.5 5.5 mm diameter, smooth or finely nodulated, sometimes with fine longitudinal striations but never ridged. Cataphylls conspicuous, 1-3 to each culm, all basal or upper ones rarely inserted up to 20 cm from the base, stramineous to brown, lower one 1-6 cm long, upper ones to 20 cm long with 4-6 mm long rudimentary acicular blade. Foliar leaves (1-)2(-3) spread along the culm, lower one 25- 75 cm long, sheaths 7-16 cm long with membranous margins terminating in two rounded 2-4 mm long auricles, blades terete 2-4.5 mm diameter, hollow with transverse septa 2-15 mm apart but not always nodulated on the outside, upper leaf often inserted above the middle of the culm, usually much smaller, blade sometimes only 5 cm long. Inflorescence emainings, anthelate, up to 20 x 7 cm, or congested and sometimes only 3 x 2.5 cm, flower heads 7-45, globose, 7-15 mm diameter, 20-40-flowered, stramineous, principal branches to 12 cm long and 1.5 mm in diameter; lower inflorescence bract 3 13 cm long, resembling cauline leaves with short blade or the blade rudimentary to 5 mm long, distal bracts shorter, floral bracts less than half as long as the flowers. Tepals linear-lanceolate, subulate, rigid, outer ones 3-4 mm long, longer than inner ones, concave to V-shaped in cross section, inner ones 2.5-3.5 mm long, flat. Stamens three, 1.5-2 mm long; filaments filiform; anthers oblong, 0.4-0.8 mm, distinctly shorter than the filaments. Capsule ovoid, beaked, trigonous, 1.9-2.7 mm (incl. beak) x 1.1-1.2 mm, about 1/3 shorter than the tepals, light brown, unilocular, dehiscing laterally, the carpels emaining connate at the beak. Seeds ellipsoid, apiculate, 0.4-0.5 x 0.15-0.2 mm, reticulate. Distribution and habitat. J. densiflorus is distributed in the Andes from Venezuela (including Guayana Highlands) to Colombia at elevations of 1450-3100 m above sea level, in the highlands of SE Brazil at elevations of 800-1600 m above sea level, and in the lowlands of Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. It grows in humid places in marshes, swamps, and along creeks and streamlets below the timberline. In Colombia this species is distributed in center of the Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Central, Macizo Colombiano and Nudo de Los Pastos, at elevations of 1500-3300 m. Vernacular name. “Junco” (Duque-Jaramillo 2775, COL); “Totorilla” (da Rocha 3, COL). Representative specimens. Antioquia: La Ceja, 2180 m, Jul 1936, Brother Daniel 954, fl (Col, US); San Pedro, 16 Jun 1940, Brother Tomas 871, fl (US); río Tenche cerca a Carolina, 2000 m, 15 May 1944, Core 715, fl (COL, US); Guarne, Piedras Blancas, 2200 m, 8 Jul 1971, Soejarto 3029, st (COL); Sonson, 4 km of road Sonson-La Union, 2480 m, 4 Oct 1987, Zarucchi 6246 (NY). Boyacá: Aquitania, Llanos de Alarcon, lago de Tota, 3025 m, Apr 1976, Aguirre-C. 203, fl (COL); municipio de Duitama, corregimiento EI Carmen, vereda Santa Elena, finca la Sierra, 2700 m, 9 Nov 1993, Betancur 4243, fl (COL); municipio Duitama, trayecto desde la vereda EI Carmen hacia Virolin, 2600-3100 m, 20 Nov 1994, Fernández-Alonso 11975, fr (COL); ChiquinquiraAlto de Azema, 2500 m, 17 Oct 1957, Jaramillo-Mejía 724, fl (COL); Aquitania, Hato laguna, lago de Tota, 3025 m, Apr 1976, Rangel-Ch. 203, fl (COL). Cauca: Chiquio, finca Los Derrumbos, 1700 m, 5 Feb 1940, Asplund 10579, fl (S, US); río Sucio-río Piedras W of Popayán, 1500-1700 m, 3 Jul 1922, Pennell 8239, fr (GH, NY, US); EI Tambo, 1700 m, 20 Jun 1934, von Sneidern 76, fl (G, GH, US). Cundinamarca: sabana de Bogotá, 2600 m, 29 Dec 1938, Cuatrecasas 481, fl (COL, F, US); Suba, 2700 m, 6 Mar 1946, Duque-Jaramillo 2775, fl (COL); San Isidro 7 km S of Gachala, 2200 m, 27 May 1944, M. L. Grant 9354, fl (COL, US); Sibate, 2600-2700 m, 13-15 Oct 1917, Pennell 2511, fr (F, GH, MO, NY, US); de Bogotá, 2650 m, Nov 1855, Triana s.n., fl (COL). Huila: La Argentina, 25 Sep 1984, 1850 m, Lozano-C. 4123, fl (COL). Nariño: municipio de Buesaco, 2 km antes de la población, 2000 m, 4 May 1989, Ramírez-P. 1414, lf (COL). Norte de Santander: Chitaga River valley SW of Pamplona, 8500 ft, 19 Oct 1944, Fassett 25946, fl (US). Putumayo: Valle de Sibundoy, 2090 m, 29 May 1973, da Rocha 3, fl (COL). Santander: Minero River valley near Florian, 2150 m, 26 Sep 1944, Fassett 25818, fl (COL); Fassett 25818a, fl (COL, US); Virolin, 1800 m, 6-12 May 1986, Fernández-Alonso 6050, fl (COL); Charala, Virolin, Olival, 1990 m, 20 Aug 1979, Rangel-Ch. 2181, fl (COL). Valle del Cauca: Bugalagrande, Dec 1938, García-Barriga 10005, fl (US), García-Barriga 10007 (US). Locality unknown: Mutis 5221, fl (US mixed with J. echinocephalus); Mutis 6189 fl (US).

Juncus

Core 715
Soejarto 3029
Apr 3025
Betancur 4243
Fernández 11975
Jaramillo 724
Apr 3025
Duque 2775
Grant 9354
Lozano 1850
Ramírez 1414
Rocha 3
Fassett 25818
Fernández 6050

Juncaceae