Juncus filicaulis

Densely tufted perennial with horizontal or ascending rhizomes. Cataphylls tight, pale to medium brown or pale pinkish-brown towards the base, to c. 7 cm long. Culms erect, slender and wiry, dull green to grey- or bluish-green, 15–45 cm high and 0.5–1.0(–1.2) mm diam.; striations 15–20, strongly raised and easily counted; pith cobwebby and continuous throughout or interrupted with very small air spaces; stomates superficial. Inflorescence with flowers congested into one or few globular clusters, the branches often obscured by the clusters; primary bract continuous with culm, to c. 10 cm long; prophylls present. Tepals ± strongly reddish tinged on the margins and midrib, 1.8–2.8 mm long; stamens 3, rarely 6, anthers 0.4–0.8 mm long. Capsules apically flattened, typically with a reddish-brown apex, shorter than, equal to, or longer than the tepals, 2.0–2.6 mm long. Flowers mostly Nov.–Jan., seeds shed mostly Dec.–Mar.