Juncus microcephalus

Juncus microcephalus Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (Quarto ed.) 1:237., 1:190 (folio). 1816. Type: Colombia. Quindío: A. von Humboldt & A. J. A. Bonpland s.n. (holotype P; isotypes B-W6860 p.p., GH). Figs. 15, 16 Perennial, cespitose herbs, 20-100 cm tall. Rhizome densely branching, 1-4 mm diameter, with few, thin, membranous scales. Culms erect, 0.5-4 mm diameter, terete, smooth or striate. Cataphylls 0-2 to each culm, to 15 cm long, green or reddish tinged, with distinct membranous margin. Foliar leaves 1-3 basal and 1-2 cauline to each culm, (5-)10-50 cm long; sheaths (1.5-)5-15 cm long, with membranous margins terminating in two 0.5-5 mm long, rounded auricles; blades 0.7-4 mm diameter, round to elliptic in cross section, conspicuously septate, sometimes with an obvious adaxial groove at the base. Inflorescence decompound, anthelate, (3-)5-20(-30) x (1.5-)3-10(-15) cm, flower heads (3-)7-50(-100), conical to globose, 5-10 mm diameter, (3-) 10-35 flowered, stramineous or brown, ultimate head bearing branches less than 0.4 mm diameter; lower inflorescence bract to 5(-12) cm long, much shorter than the inflorescence, scale like with reduced blade or occasionally resembling a small basal leaf with a well developed blade, distal bracts shorter, floral bracts acuminate, ca. 3 mm long, membranous, usually not contrasting tepal color. Tepals unequal 1-3.5(-5) mm long, lanceolate, acute, outer ones concave and membranous towards the margin, inner ones flat with distinct membranous margin. Stamens six or three, 1-2 mm long; filaments flat, linear; anthers oblong to linear, 0.3-0.7 mm long, or about half as long as the filaments. Capsule ellipsoid to obovoid, round in cross section or 3-lobed at the base, obtuse to bluntly acute or short mucronate, 2-3.5 x 1-1.5 mm, stramineous to brown or almost black, unilocular. Seeds ellipsoid, apiculate, 0.4 0.5 x ca. 0.2 mm, reticulate, yellow-brown with a hyaline outer seed coat. Distribution and habitat. J. microcephalus is distributed throughout the highlands of the Neotropical region, from central Mexico to Bolivia and SE Brazil. In Colombia this species is widely distributed in the Andean region, between 1500 and 3600 m elevation. At Paipa in Boyacá this species grows on salt flats (Fasset 25900, 25894), but it is otherwise found in freshwater swamps. Vernacular name. “Totorilla” (da Rocha 4, COL). Representative specimens. Antioquia: La Ceja, 2180 m, 2 Nov 1947, Barkley 1612, lf (COL, US); Guatape, Guatape-Santa Rita road, 4 km N of Guatape, 1830 m, 22 Oct 1987, Brant 1445 (MO); Monte del Diablo, La Ceja, 21 Jul 1944, Brother Daniel 3306, fl, fr (COL, US); 12 km S of Urrao, río Penderisco, 2040 m, 9 Mar 1944, Core 374, fr (COL, US); Sonsón, km 17.6 Sonsón-La Unión road, 38 km from La Unión, 2140 m, 4 Oct 1987, Zarucchi 6249 (MO). Boyacá: Paipa, 2550 m, 11 Oct 1944, Fassett 25894, fr (COL, US); quebrada Corrales, 3260-3330 m, 12 Aug 1953, Langenheim 3421, fl (COL, US); lago de Tota, 3015 m, 4 aug 1953, Mora-Osejo 1241, fl (COL); Aquitania, El Cerrito, lago de Tota, 3025 m, Apr 1976, Rangel-Ch. 202, fl (COL); Sachica, 1990 m, Aug 1964, Saravía 4398, fl (COL). Cauca: Macizo Colombiano, Valle de las Papas, near Valencia, 3090 m, 23-24 Oct 1958, H. G. Barclay 5744, fl (US); Macizo Colombiano, Valle de las Papas, Valencia, 3090 m, 24 Sep 1958, H. G. Barclay 5747, fl (COL, MO, US); Valle de las Papas, near Valencia, 2700 m, 20 Jul 1944, Core 1000, fr (US); Coconuco, 2300-2500 m, 17-18 Jun 1922, Killip 6871, fr (US). Cundinamarca: represa Neusa, Peña Blanca, 24 Jun 1957, H. G. Barclay 4245, fl (COL); Sabana de Bogotá, 2600 m, 29 Dec 1938, Cuatrecasas 479, fr (COL, F, US); Suba, hacienda Santa Ines, laguna de Tibabuyes, 28 Mar 1943, Jaramillo-Mejía 223, fr (COL); Granada, El Soche, Sibate road, 2700-2900 m, 12 May 1987, Morales-L. 830, fr (COL); Bogotá, Aug 1931, P?rez-Arbeláez 1180, fl, fr (COL, US). Nariño: laguna Cocha, 3 May 1876, Andr? 3093, fl (GH); Reserva Natural la Planada, 7 km from Chucunes, 1800 m, 15 Nov 1987, de Benavides 8925 (MO); Reserva La Planada 7 km from Chucunes, 800-1850 m, Gentry 60371 (AAU). Norte de Santander: río Chitaga, Vega Colombia, 2880-3000 m, 21 Jul 1940, Cuatrecasas 10067, fl (COL, F, US); 35 km de San Bernardo de Bata, en la vía a Saravena, 4.5-5 km después del parador, 1980 m, 1 Nov 1994, Fernández-Alonso 11807 (COL); Pamplona-Toledo road at río La Teja and río Mesme, 2500-2800 m, 28 Feb 1927, Killip 19883, fl (F, GH, NY, US). Putumayo: Valle de Sibundoy 2-5 km N of San Pedro, 2250-2700 m, 3 Aug 1963, Chindoy-B. 172, fl (GH, US), Valle de Sibundoy, 2090 m, 29 May 1973, da Rocha 4, fl (COL). Risaralda: municipio Pereira, Ucumarí, entre El Cedral y La Pastora, 2300 m, 15 Jun 1989, Bernal 1735 (COL); Pereira, Parque regional Ucumarí, vereda La Pastora, 2460 m, 31 Jul 1989, M. P. Galeano 248 (COL). Santander: Cordillera Oriental, páramo del Almorzadero, Peralonso, 3200 m, 19 Jul 1940, Cuatrecasas 9876 (US mixed with J. ecuadoriensis); Virolin, 1800 m, 6-12 May 1986, Fernández-Alonso 6047, fr (COL); Mesa de los Santos, 1500 m, 11-15 Dec 1926, Killip 15173, fr (GH, NY, US); Virolin, Finca La Sierra, 2500-2600 m, 16 May 1976, Lozano-C. 2573, fr (COL); Charala, Virolin, Olival road, 1800 m, 18 Oct 1983, Torres-R. 2599, fl (COL). Valle del Cauca: Bitaco, 1550 m, Aug 1939, García-Barriga 8021, fl (COL). Locality unknown: Zub Honda, 19 Oct 1875, Andr? K1430 (NY); “Colombia”, Brother Apolinar-María 165 (F); Mutis 5226, fl (US); Mutis 5227, fl (US); Mutis 6182, fl (US); Mutis 6183, fl (US), Mutis 6186, fr (US); “N. Grenada”, 1851-1857, Triana s.n., fr (US).

Juncus

Barkley 1612
Brother 3306
Core 374
Zarucchi 6249
Mora 3015
Apr 3025
Barclay 5747
Barclay 4245
Jaramillo 223
Morales 830
Cuatrecasas 10067
Fernández 11807
Rocha 4
Bernal 1735
Galeano 248
Fernández 6047
Lozano 2573
Torres 2599

Juncaceae