Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 3--11 dm. Rhizomes 3--4 diam. Culms erect, terete, 3--4 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 1--2, purple, apex acute. Leaves: basal 0--1, cauline 2--3; auricles 0.5--2 mm, apex acute, membranaceous; blade terete, 0--24 cm x 0.5--1.7 mm, most distal cauline leaf blade 0--2 cm, shorter than sheath. Inflorescences panicles of (1--)3--21 heads, 1--8 cm, branches erect to spreading; primary bract erect; heads 40--60-flowered, spheric, 8--12 mm diam. Flowers: tepals straw-colored to reddish brown, lanceolate-subulate; outer tepals 2.9--4.1 mm, apex acuminate; inner tepals 2.2--3.7 mm, apex acuminate; stamens 3, anthers 1/4--1/2 filament length. Capsules exserted, , straw-colorerd, 1-locular, subulate, 2.5--4.2 mm, apex tapering to subulate beak, valves not separat ing at dehiscence, fertile throughout or only proximal to middle. Seeds ellipsoid to ovoid, 0.4 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown.
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Much like no. 32 [Juncus scirpoides Lam.], but stouter, with thicker lvs; blade of the uppermost cauline lf shorter than its sheath, usually nonseptate, seldom over 2 cm, or sometimes lacking; heads 10–15 mm thick; tep soft, deep reddish-brown, 3.5–4.5 mm, the pet slightly shorter than the sep; anthers included. Wet, often sandy soil on the coastal plain; se. Va. to Fla. and Miss.
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