Juncus stipulatus

Juncus stipulatus Nees & Meyen, in F. J. F. Meyen, Observ. Bot. 126. 1843. Type: Chile. Valparaiso: Feb 1831, F. J. F. Meyen s.n. (holotype “herb. Lucaeno”, n.v.) (the herbarium not identified; A. Lourteig, Publ. Comit. Nat. Franc. Rech. Antarc., Biol. 23: 44. 1968, cited a type specimenas “Meyer II 1831 Type PR”, but the specimen was not located at PR recently). Figs. 14, 18 Perennial herbs, 1-10(-20) cm tall. Rhizome with long creeping, horizontal sections and branching-ascending sections which gradually change into culms, rhizome scales 5-10 mm long, membranous, light brown to stramineous, inserted 1-2 cm apart and enveloping the rhizome. Cataphylls absent, but the basal leaves sometimes slightly reduced. Foliar leaves 10-15 to each culm, clustered or moderately spaced along the transition zone between the rhizome and culm, 1-8 cm long; sheaths 2-15 mm long, margin membranous and terminating in two, 0.2-0.8 mm long, rounded auricles; blade 0.2-0.3 mm diameter, round to elliptic in cross section, sometimes with an adaxial groove at the base, septate, the septa usually visible on the outside, 1-3 mm apart, sometimes absent or invisible when the leaves are small. Inflorescence of one or rarely two, 2-5 flowered heads terminal on the culm, sometimes reduced to a single flower on a pedicel which is as long or slightly longer than the flower; lower inflorescence bract resembling basal foliar leaves, to 2 cm long, sheath slightly shorter than the flower head, blade acicular, floral bracts membranous, about as long as the flowers. Tepals equal or subequal, 2-3.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute, outer ones slightly wider than the inner ones, midrib green, turning castaneous, the margin castaneous turning stramineous and becoming membranous. Stamens six, 2.2-3.1 mm long, anthers linear, 0.8-1.3 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid to suborbicular, apiculate, 2.5-3.5 x 1.5-2 mm, light brown to almost black, unilocular. Seeds broadly ellipsoid, apiculate, 0.3-0.6 x 0.2-0.3 mm, usually reticulate, brown to castaneous. Distribution and habitat. J. stipulatus is distributed in the Andes from Colombia to the Magellan Strait. In the N Andes it grows over 2700 m above sea level. It grows in a variety of habitats, including road sides, as a pioneer plant on land slides, or as part of soft vegetation cover of suspended bogs. Near edges of streams and on lake shores it may function as a sand binder forming loose vegetation mats on the sediments. In Colombia J. stipulatus is found from the southern to the central Andean region except in the Cordillera Occidental. It grows at elevations of 2700-4250 m. Representative specimens. Boyacá: páramo de la Rusia NWN of Duitama, 3515 m, 8 Dec 1972, Cleef 6861A, st (COL). Caldas: páramo del Quindío, 3700-4200 m, 15-20 Aug 1922, Pennell 9963, fl (GH, K, NY, PH, US). Cauca: N slope Mountain Puracé, 2700-2800 m, 23 Jul 1956, H. G. Barclay 165 fl (COL, GH); páramo de las Papas, San Sebastián-Valencia, 3100 m, 17 Sep 1958, H. G. Barclay 5743 fl (COL); río Vinagre, EI Alfombrado, 3800 m, 7 Jan 1972, Cleef 629 (COL st); Mt. Puracé, 3600-3700 m, 12 Jun 1922, Pennell 6543, fl (GH, NY, PH); Puracé Mountain, 3450 m, 2 Apr 1939, von Sneidern 2081, fl (F, G, NY, S, US). Cundinamarca: páramo de Sumapaz, Andabobos, 3800 m, 12 Feb 1972, Cleef 1676, st (COL); páramo de Palacio, laguna de Buitrago, 3620 m, Cleef 2351 (P); páramo de Sumapaz, Chisacá, 3660 m, 11 May 1972, Cleef 3639, st (AAU, COL, P); quebrada Chuza between páramo de Palacio and páramo de Chingaza, 3650 m, 30 Aug 1972, Cleef 5361, st (COL). Meta: páramo de Sumapaz, cerro Nevado del Sumapaz, 3650 m, 15 Jan 1973, Cleef 7898, st (COL); macizo de Sumapaz, hoya de la quebrada Clarincito (o Los Frailes), 3720 m, 2 Jul 1981, Díaz-Piedrahita 2313 (COL); Macizo de Sumapaz, 2900 m, 12 Jul 1981, Díaz-Piedrahita 2847, fl (COL). Nariño: páramo del Tábano, between Pasto and El Encano, 3200 m, 11 Jan 1941, Cuatrecasas 11937, fl (COL, US). Putumayo: Near lake Cocha, 2700 m, 1 May 1939, Alston 8311, fr (US). Risaralda: Pereira, Los Nevados National Park, 4200 m, 18 Jan 1980, Jaramillo-Mejía 5717, st (COL); páramo de Santa Rosa, laguna del Otún, 3900-4250 m, 21 Jan 1980, Jaramillo-Mejía 5806, fl (COL).

Juncus

Barclay 165
Barclay 5743
Cleef 1676
Cleef 3639
Díaz 2313
Díaz 2847

Juncaceae