Juncus effusus

Juncus effusus L., Sp. pl. 1: 326. 1753. Type: Herb. Linn. No. 449.6 (LINN, lectotype designated by: Kirschner in Jarvis (ed.) 2007). Figs. 3, 13 Juncus bogotensis Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (Quarto ed.) 1: 235. 1815. Type: Colombia. Cundinamarca: Plain of Bogotá near Tenjo, Coto, and Sabana, A. von Humboldt & A. J. A. Bonpland s. n. (holotype P; isotypes B, P). Perennial, cespitose herbs, 50-100 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, 2-5 mm diameter, covered with dark, castaneous scales, internodes very short and the culms arising in densely crowded rows. Culms erect, terete, 2-6 mm diameter, externally striate by 40-60 longitudinal, subepidermal sclerenchyma strands running parallel to the vascular bundles; pith continuous, aerenchymatous with asteriform cells. Cataphylls 3-5 to each culm, to 30 cm long, with rudimentary, acicular blade to 5 mm long, usually densely sheathing, dark castaneous at the base, light brown or stramineous upwards. Foliar leaves absent. Inflorescence pseudolateral, many-flowered, loosely branching and up to 10 x 20 cm, or usually smaller and sometimes congested, capitulate and only 1.5 x 1.5 cm, sometimes subdivided, compound cymose, consisting of several congested cymes, the ultimate ones being unilateral drepania; lower inflorescence bract appearing as a continuation of the culm, 10-45 cm long, and usually constituting 1/5 or more of the total plant height (rarely only 1/10 in Costa Rica), smoothly jointed to the culm, sheath narrow, upper bracts scale like or membranous; each flower clasped by two 0.7-2 mm long bracteoles. Tepals unequal, lanceolate, 2-5 mm long, stramineous to castaneous, outer ones concave, slightly longer than the flat inner ones. Stamens three, 1 2 mm long; anthers linear or oblong, 0.3 1 mm long, shorter than or equalling the filaments. Capsule ellipsoid to obovoid, obtuse, trigonous to 3-1obed, 1.5-5 x 1-2.5 mm, stramineous to castaneous, 3-septate. Seeds ovoid, assymetrical, short apiculate, 0.4-0.6 x 0.2-0.3 mm, rugose, yellow to brown Distribution and habitat. J. effusus is a cosmopolitan species, most common in the north temperate region, but frequent at higher elevations in the tropics, and scattered in the south temperate region. It occurs in Hispaniola, Guadeloupe, Mexico, Central American until Costa Rica, the Andes from Venezuela to N Peru, Bolivia, Tucuman in Argentina, and also in SE Brazil. It grows in pastures, along roads, and in ditches and other places under human influence. In Colombia it is widely distributed in the Andean region with a few collections in the Cordillera Occidental (department of Antioquia), between 1500 and 3600 m of elevation. Comments. The Colombian collections of J. effusus commonly have dense inflorescences of castaneous flowers with 3-3.5 mm long tepals and long lower inflorescence bracts that occupy at least 1/5 of the total plant height. Vernacular name. “Totora” (Soejarto 1162) Putumayo; “Totorilla” (da Rocha 02, COL); “Junco” (E. Cárdenas 2” COL); “Junco” (de Wilde 2795, COL); “Junco chiquito” (Yepes-Agredo 3263, COL); “Junco” (Duque-Jaramillo 2775A, COL). Representative specimens. Antioquia: Caldas, vereda La Corrala, Finca La Zarza, 2500 m, 1 Jun 1988, Albert de Escobar s.n., fl (US); Santa Rosa de Osos 86 km NE of Medellín, 2500 m, 22 Nov 1978, Callejas 976 (JAUM, NY); Yarumal -Valdivía road, km 124 near 12 km N of Yarumal, 2050 m, 23 Mar 1979, Luteyn 7072, fr (COL, NY); Guarne, Piedras Blancas, 2200 m, 8 Jul 1971, Soejarto 3023, fr (COL); Medellín, cerro del Padre Amaya road 10 km from Medellín-Santa Fe de Antioquia road, 2970 m, 15 Sep 1987, Zarucchi 5307, fl (MO, NY, US). Boyacá: Aquitania, Llanos de Alarcon, lago de Tota, 3025 m, Apr 1976, Aguirre-C. 251, fl (COL); municipio de Duitama, vereda EI Carmen en la vía a Virolín, 2320 m, 23 Nov 1994, Fernández-Alonso 12182, fr (COL); Socha in río Chicamocha valley, 2700 m, 8 Nov 1944, Fosberg 22227, fr (F, GH, UC, US); Puebloviejo, 3040 m, 9 Aug 1953, Langenheim 3373, fl (COL, US); Tota, 3000 m, Dec 1951, Yepes-Agredo 3263, fl (COL). Caldas: páramo de las Letras, 3700 m, 4 Dec 1958, H. G. Barclay 6308 fl (COL, US). Cauca: quebrada de Santa Lucia S of laguna de la Cocha, 2850 m, 8 Jan 1941, Cuatrecasas 11808, fl (COL, US); páramo de Paletara, 3000 m, 18 Nov 1968, Espinal-T. 3319, lf (COL); Coconuco, 2300-2500 m, 17-18 Jun 1922, Killip 6864, fr (GH, NY, PH, US); Natural Park, Cueva de los Guacharos, 3000 m, 28 Dec 1988, Ortíz 1284, fr (COL); laguna la Cocha-páramo de Tábano road, 2800 3000 m, 1 Jun 1946, Schultes 7839, fl (US). Cesar: Sierra Perija E of Manaure, Sabana Rubia, 3000-3100 m, 8 Nov 1959, Cuatrecasas 25100, fr (COL, US); municipio Manaure, serranía de Perija, cerro el Avión, 3100 m, 8 Nov 1993, Rangel-Ch. 11278, (COL); municipio La Paz, corregimiento San José de Oriente, serranía de Perija, finca Los Sauces, 3077 m, 26 Feb 2006, Rangel-Ch. 13678, (COL).Cundinamarca: Monserrate, 28 Jun 1957, H. G. Barclay 4330, fr (COL); Sabana de Bogotá, 2600 m, 29 Dec 1938, Cuatrecasas 477, fl, fr (COL, F, GH, US); San Bernardo, vereda Santa Marta, quebrada La Chorrera, 2300-2350 m, 20 Jul 1981, Díaz-Piedrahita 2941, fl (COL); S of Usme between La Regadera and El Hato, 15 Jun 1950, Idrobo 336, fl (COL, NY, US); Sabana de Bogotá, 2600 m, Pérez-Arbeláez 262, fr (COL). Huila: Balsillas, 2000-2100 m, 3-6 Aug 1917, Rusby 738 (NY), 2100-2200 m, Rusby 771, fl (F, GH, MO, NY, US). Nariño: laguna La Cocha SE of Pasto, 2800 m, 5 Nov 1950, Espinosa 3075, fl (COL, NY); Manecillo, 2800 m, 11 Mar 1951, Knoth 3183 (NY); rio Tescual above Córdoba, 2850 m, 5 Oct 1944, Ewan 16297, fl (US); laguna La Cocha road 10 km E of Pasto, 3000 m, 10 Jan 1981, Gentry 30418, fl (COL, MO); municipio Cumbal, volcán nevado El Cumbal, N-NE slopes, 3700 m, 5-9 Mar 1999, Stancik 2743 (COL, PSO). Norte de Santander: municipio Charalá, carretera El Carmen-Virolin, 2200 m, Betancur 6157 (COL); 35 km de San Bernardo de Bata en la via a Saravena, Alto de Santa Ines, 1980 m, 1 Nov 1994, Fernández-Alonso 11808, fl (COL); Between páramo de Fontibon and Pamplona, 2580 m, 15 Oct 1941, Cuatrecasas 12250, fl (COL, GH, U, US); Toledo, Santa Maria, 2000-2100 m, 30 Oct 1941, Cuatrecasas 12778, fl (COL). Putumayo: Valle de Sibundoy, 2200 m, 5 Dec 1962, Bristol 403, fr (COL, GH); Valle de Sibundoy, 2090 m, 29 May 1973, da Rocha 2, fl (COL); N shore laguna de la Cocha, 2850 m, 29 Oct 1944, Ewan 16369, fl (US); Cerro Portachuelo, Punto Siberia, 2700 m, 28 Jul 1964, Soejarto 1162, fl (COL, GH). Quindío: Salento, Acaime, 2680 m, 11 May 1991, Agudelo-H. 1564, fl (COL); Salento, rio Quindio, Reserva La Montaña, 2900 m, 21-25 Nov 1990, Bernal 1920, lf (COL); rio Quindio, Salento, 1500-1600 m, 27-30 Jul 1922, Killip 8955, fr (GH, NY, PH, US). Risaralda: Santa Rosa de Cabal, finca Berlin, 3000 m, 15 Aug 1988, de Wilde 2795, fl (COL). Santander: Charala, veredas El Taladro and Bogotacito, 2100-2300 m, 7 Dec 1978, Díaz-Piedrahita 1670, fl (COL); Virolin, 1800 m, 6-12 May 1986, Fernández-Alonso 6247, fr (COL); near Charala, 2000-2600 m, 1-11 Feb 1927, Killip 18904, fl (F, GH, NY, US); Virolin, Finca La Sierra, 2500-2600 m, 18 May 1976, Lozano-C. 2622, fr (COL); Onzaga, vereda Chaguaca, 2640 m, 2 Apr 1976, Torres-R. 635, fl (COL). Tolima: Santa Isabel, rio Totarito, 3300-3400 m, 11 Feb 1980, Díaz-Piedrahita 2070, fl (COL); Toche, 2300 m, 18 May 1942, von Sneidern 3054 (A, GH, MO, S). Locality unknow: Mutis 2638, fl (US); Mutis 5307, fl (US).

Juncus

Luteyn 7072
Soejarto 3023
Apr 3025
Fernández 12182
Espinal 3319
Cuatrecasas 25100
Rangel 11278
Rangel 13678
Barclay 4330
Díaz 2941
Idrobo 336
Espinosa 3075
Stancik 2743
Fernández 11808
Cuatrecasas 12250
Cuatrecasas 12778
Rocha 2
Soejarto 1162
Agudelo 1564
Bernal 1920
Fernández 6247
Lozano 2622
Díaz 2070

Juncaceae