Juncus capillaceus
Lam.Tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial. Culms erect, 6–35 cm high, each with up to c. 3 leaves and 1–4 cataphylls towards the base, fibrous remains of old cataphylls ± persisting. Leaf-blades solid, shorter than the culms, filiform, 0.3–0.6 mm wide, channelled to subterete, the underside with raised nerves, apex acute; auricles obtuse, to 0.3 mm long. Inflorescence apparently terminal, few-flowered, the flowers clustered on short ascending branches; primary bract exceeding inflorescence, continuous with culm; prophylls present. Tepals with a broad green midrib when young, margins pale, membranous, ± extending to the tip; outer tepals 2.3–3 mm long, acute; inner shorter than the outer, acute or obtuse; stamens 6, anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long. Capsules brown at maturity, ovoid, c. 2–3 mm long, obtuse, ± with a fragile mucro, subequal to or slightly longer than the tepals, thin-walled; seeds c. 0.4–0.6 mm long, slightly asymmetrical with very fine longitudinal and transverse ridges discernible only at high magnification, minutely apiculate at one or both ends.
VVP, VRiv, GipP, CVU, OtR. Also naturalised in NSW. Native to temperate South America. Apparently a recent introduction to the State, known only known from pasture near the Plenty River Gorge (1987), Gardiners Creek in Ashburton (1992) and Kew (1993). Flowering period unknown, fruits collected Jul.
Superficially resembles some fine-culmed species of subgenus Genuini (e.g. J. filicaulis and J. subsecundus), but differs from this group in having at least some leaves with developed blades.
Albrecht, D.E. (1994). Juncus. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 197–233. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning