Juncus brevibracteus

Loosely tufted robust perennial with horizontal or ascending rhizomes. Cataphylls broad, often tight, dark reddish-brown to reddish-orange towards the base, to 20 cm long. Culms erect, green, 70–200 cm high and 3–6.0 mm diam.; striations c. 75–140, crowded, not strongly raised; pith white to fawn-coloured in the lower part of the stem, interrupted throughout or continuous in the upper half (very rarely continuous throughout); stomates superficial. Inflorescence moderately compact, flowers scattered or clustered (but not forming separate subglobular clusters); primary bract continuous with culm, to c. 16 cm long; secondary bract subulate, less than 10 mm long; prophylls present. Tepals stramineous or occasionally with a faint reddish-brown longitudinal band on either side of the stramineous midrib, 1.5–2.3 mm long; stamens 3, anthers c. 0.4–0.8 mm long. Capsules with an obtuse to sub-acute golden-brown to reddish-brown apex, equal to or exceeding the tepals, 1.6–2.5 mm long. Flowers recorded Jan.–Feb., ripe capsules recorded Feb.