Juncus concinnus D. Don

It seems primarily an east Himalayan plant and differs from the following species by its flowering heads.

I have not seen any authentic specimen of this species from our area but it may grow in Kashmir. It is known from Chamba eastwards to Sikkim. Mohinder Nath 4484 (RAW), collected from Kulu valley, is the only specimen seen by me. A comparatively larger terminal head with few smaller heads radiating umbellately on 1-2.5 cm long peduncles, with the lowest bract exceedings the flowering heads, easily distin¬guishes it from the previous species.

Differs from the closely allied Juncus membranaceus Don primarily by its ± arcuate capsules and 2-3 mm long anthers on 4-6 mm long, exserted filaments.

Plants perennial, tufted, 16--45 cm tall. Rhizome chestnut brown. Stems terete, 0.5--1 mm in diam., striate. Cataphylls 1 or 2, chestnut brown. Basal leaves 1 or 2, cauline leaves 1--3; leaf sheath auricles 0.5--1 mm, membranous; leaf blade linear, pluritubular, adaxially channeled, V-shaped in cross section, not septate, 2--16 cm × 0.3--2 mm, apex obtuse. Inflorescences terminal; involucral bract leaflike, lanceolate, 1.5--6 cm; heads 2--5(--7), hemispheric, 8--10 mm in diam., (3--)5--7(--14)-flowered. Perianth segments yellowish white, lanceolate to oblong; outer segments 3--3.5 mm, apex acute; inner segments 3.5--4 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens 6, distinctly longer than perianth; filaments chestnut brown, linear, 4--5 mm; anthers 1--1.5 mm. Style 1.2--1.8 mm; stigmas 0.7--1.1 mm. Capsule trigonous ovoid to ellipsoid, 2--3 mm, 3-septate, apex beaked; beak 0.5--1 mm; style persistent. Seeds chestnut brown, ovoid to oblong, 0.6--0.7 mm, both ends appendaged; appendages 0.1--0.2 mm. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.

A slender, loosely tufted, non-stoloniferous perennial with a short, tuberous root-stock; stem (10-) 15-20 (-30) cm tall, with cauline leaves usually exceeding it. Leaves linear, 1-1.5 mm broad, flat, acute, narrowly sheathing at base. Inflorescence of 2-few, pedicelled cymose heads, each consisting of 3-10 flowers usually. Flowers c. 3 mm long, pale whitish subsessile; perianth segments subequal, membranous-glumaceous, outer lanceolate-convex, inner ovate-lanceolate, flat, obtuse, 3-veined. Stamens 6, much exserted; filaments much longer than anthers, exceeding the perianth; anthers 1-1.5 mm long. Capsules broadly ovate, c. 2.5 mm long with beak up to 1 mm long, greyish, many seeded; seeds minute, with unequally produced ends, spotted.

Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), Assam (Khasia), W. China.

Distribution: Himalayas (Pakistan to Sikkim).

Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim].

Distribution: Endemic to Himalayas.

2100-5200 m

Fl.Per. July-September.

Forests on mountain slopes, wet grasslands, moist soil in ravines; 1500--3900 m.

Juncus elegans Royle ex D. Don; J. elegans Samuelsson (1936) not Royle ex D. Don (1840).