Juncus imbricatus Laharpe

Sclerotic, caespitose perennials up to 0.6 m tall. Rhizome compact, fibrous, with hard, woody roots densely covered by root-hairs. Leaves basal, 1-2 per shoot, filiform, sulcate, erect, expanded at base into tight auriculate sheaths; cataphylls present. Inflorescence pseudolateral, many-flowered, lowest bract forming continuation of stem, short or exserted; floral bracts and bracteoles short. Flowers solitary, secundly arranged on few to many short, lateral rachides. Tepals ovate-acute, 4-5 mm long, shiny, subequal, hard. Stamens 6, short; anthers and filaments about equally long. Ovary ellipsoid; style 0; stigmas c. 1 mm long. Capsule narrowly ovoid-triangular, 5 mm long, truncate, exserted, shiny, placentas parietal, intruding, white, irregularly pectinate with seeds attached to fairly long funicles; seeds oblong-globose, 0.4 mm long, brown, apex and base with a membranous apiculus. Flowering in spring.