Juncus liebmannii var. quitensis

Juncus liebmannii J. F. Macbr., Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 11(1): 9. 1931. Juncus liebmannii J. F. Macbr. var. quitensis (Buchenau) Balslev, in G. Harling, B. Sparre & U. Eliasson, Fl. Ecuador 11: 40. 1979. Basionym: Juncus brevifolius var. quitensis Buchenau, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 12: 356. 1890. Type: Ecuador. Pichincha: Surubamba near Quito, 1859, W. Jameson 880 (lectotype K; isolectotypes BM, C, G, GH, GOET, K, NY, US, P fide H. Balslev, in G. Harling, B. Sparre & U. Eliasson (eds.), Fl. Ecuador 11: 40. 1979). Figs. 13, 14 Perennial herbs, (15-)20-50(-65) cm tall. Rhizome creeping, 1.5-3 mm diameter, scales absent or few, membranous, internodes 0.5-1 cm long. Culms erect, often slightly curved, 1-2.5 mm diameter. Cataphylls 0-3 to each culm, 1.5-7 cm long, reddish tinged when young, light brown with distinct membranous margin with age, rudimentary blade to 2 mm long. Blade bearing leaves 1-4 basal and 1-2 cauline to each culm, 10-30 cm long; sheaths 3-12 cm long, with membranous margins terminating in two, 0.3-1.3 mm long, scaríose auricles; blades 1-2.5 mm diameter, elliptic to round in cross section, laterally compressed, hollow, nodulated by septa 5- 15 mm apart, but sometimes inconspiuously so. Inflorescence composed of 2-3 flowered glomerules, usually loosely congested into two subequal parts, one terminal on the culm and one lateral, originating in the axil of the lower inflorescence bract; the lateral one overtopping the terminal one; lower inflorescence bract to 12 cm long, resembling cauline leaves, sometimes membranous and shorter, to 2 cm long, distal bracts shorter, the ultimate ones scaríose to 4 mm long, floral bracts to 3 mm long. Tepals subequal, lanceolate, dark brown, sometimes with green midribs and castaneous margins at the base, outer tepals 2.3 3 mm long, keeled to V-shaped in cross section, at least when young, inner tepals 2-2.5 mm long, flat. Stamens six, 1.1- 1.8 mm long, inner whorl sometimes slightly shorter than outer whorl; filaments 0.8-1 mm long, flat or filiform, slightly widened at the base; anthers oblong, 0.4-0.8 mm long, shorter than the filaments. Capsule ellipsoid, apiculate, trigonous, becoming 3-keeled before dehiscence, 2-3 x (0.9-)1-1.6 mm, sometimes longer than the tepals when mature, dark brown, unilocular. Seeds ellipsoid, apiculate, ca. 0.5 x 0.2 mm, with a conspicuous reticulate pattern, yellowish brown. Distribution and habitat. J. liebmannii occurs in Mexico and N Andes. In Mexico there are two varieties (var. polycephalus and var. liebmanni), and in the N Andes there is one variety. J. liebmannii var. quitensis is distributed from S Colombia to central Ecuador. It grows in pastures, meadows, along rivulets, and in raised bogs at elevations of 2800-3500 meters above sea level, often in the páramos as well as in cultivated areas. In Colombia this species is found in the southern Andes toward Macizo Colombiano and Nudo de los Pastos (Cauca and Nariño), between 2500 and 2900 m of elevation. Comments. The leaf blades of J. liebmannii are laterally compressed, clearly unitubular and the crosspartitions (septa) are complete, occupying the whole cross section of the tube. Representative specimens. Cauca: Popayán-Totoro road, 2500-2830 m, 8 Apr 1970, Lozano-C. 1552, fl (COL). Nariño: Upper río Tescual above Cordoba, 2840 -2890 m, 5 Oct 1944, Ewan 16298, fr (GH, US). Locality unknow: “New Granada”, 2690 m, Triana 478 (K); “Prov. de Tuquerres”, May 1853, Triana s.n., fr (COL).

Sin material de COL

Juncaceae