Juncus sandwithii

Sward-forming perennial with long, slender rhizomes c. 1 mm diam. Culms erect or decumbent, new shoots often arising from nodes and creeping stems, to c. 14 cm high. Leaves arising from culms and creeping stems; blade hollow, with inconspicuous transverse septa, usually longer than the culms, terete or slightly compressed, 0.3–1(–1.5) mm wide, apex acute or obtuse; auricles obtuse or acute, to c. 1 mm long. Inflorescence of 1–5 clusters, each composed of 1–10 flowers, to c. 10 mm wide in fruit; primary bract longer than or equal to the inflorescence; prophylls absent. Tepal midrib ± reddish tinged when young, margins broad, membranous; outer tepals (1.8–)2–3 mm long, acute; inner slightly longer or shorter than outer, acute or obtuse; stamens 6, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm long. Capsules pale golden brown, trigonous-ovoid, (2.5–)3–4.6 mm long, at maturity exceeding the tepals by 1–2 mm, tapered gradually or slightly contracted below the acute-acuminate apex; seeds 0.4–0.5 mm long, finely reticulate-patterned discernible at moderately high magnification, minutely apiculate at each end. Flowers mostly Nov–Mar, seeds shed mostly Jan–May.