Luzula multiflora (Ehrh.) Lej.

Common woodrush (en), Luzule multiflore (fr), Luzule à nombreuses fleurs (fr), luzule à fleurs nombreuses (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Poales > Juncaceae > Luzula

Characteristics

Plants densely tufted, 16--35 cm tall. Stolons few or absent. Stems terete. Basal leaves several, cauline leaves 1--3; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, flat, 4--11 cm × 2--4 mm, usually pilose except for apical callus, apex obtuse. Inflorescence subumbellate, with 5--9(--12) flower clusters; basal involucral bract 2--5 cm; clusters borne on erect branches, pedunculate, ovoid to narrowly so or subsessile and subglobose, 4--10-flowered. Pedicels with 1 or 2 bracts at base; bracteoles broadly ovate, ca. 2 mm. Perianth segments pale brown to reddish brown, all lanceolate or inner ones ovate to elliptic, 2.5--3 × ca. 0.9 mm, subequal, margin hyaline. Filaments 0.6--0.8 mm; anthers 1--1.5 mm. Style 0.7--0.9 mm, subequaling ovary; stigmas spirally turned, 1.4--1.8 mm. Capsule brown to reddish brown or blackish brown, obovoid or broadly ellipsoid to ovoid, shorter than or subequaling perianth, apex mucronulate. Seeds ellipsoid, ca. 1.2 mm; appendage basal, to 1/2 as long as seed. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug. 2 n = 24, 36.
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Culms densely to loosely cespitose, 10--40 cm. Leaves: basal leaves 3.5--12 cm x 2--6 mm; cauline leaves equaling or exceeding inflorescences. Inflorescences: glomerules 3--16 (each with 8--16 flowers), 1--2 nearly sessile with others on evident peduncles, mostly cylindric; secondary branches sometimes present, usually straight, erect; proximal inflorescence bract barely as long as to exceeding inflorescence. Flowers: tepals pale brown to chestnut brown to blackish with clear margins, 2--4 mm; outer and inner whorl ± equal, or outer whorl slightly longer (outer whorl pointed, inner whorl pointed or truncate-mucronate); anthers not more than 2 times filament length; stigmas 0.8--1.5 mm; styles not persistent in fruit. Capsules pale to brown to black, globose, shorter than to ± equaling tepals. Seeds 1.1--1.7 mm; caruncles 0.2--0.6 mm.
Grass-like, densely tufted. Leaves (1.5)-2-4 mm wide, < stems, bright green, villous on margins in lower half, tip obtuse; sheaths with thick tuft of white tangled hairs at mouth, especially noticeable in cauline leaves. Flowering stems 20-30-(60) cm high, erect. Inflorescence umbel-like with a central cluster and 3-10 few-flowered lateral oblong clusters c. 5 mm diam. on ± equal erect peduncles to 4 cm long. Flowers 2.5-3 mm long, not close-set, with bases of flowers and rhachis between them visible; tepals red-brown with broad whitish membranous margins. Stamens 6, anthers ± = filaments. Capsule < tepals, red-brown. Seeds with conspicuous white caruncle.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination anemogamy
Spread myrmecochory
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.16 - 0.4
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Light 1-7
Soil humidity 4-7
Soil texture 3-4
Soil acidity 1-5
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 5-8

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Ceremonial Medicine (unspecified), Emetic (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -23
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Luzula multiflora habit picture by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora habit picture by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora habit picture by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Luzula multiflora leaf picture by Aurelien Fridman (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora leaf picture by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora leaf picture by Ann Kenis (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Luzula multiflora flower picture by Fanny (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora flower picture by Makarova Olga (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora flower picture by Lindroos Kristian (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Luzula multiflora fruit picture by Stefana Popova (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora fruit picture by Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Luzula multiflora fruit picture by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Luzula multiflora world distribution map, present in China, France, New Zealand, and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1159940-2
WFO ID wfo-0000777930
COL ID 3WHHD
BDTFX ID 40295
INPN ID 106842
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Juncoides multiflora Juncus nemorosus Luzula multiflora Luzula nemorosa Luzula yakusimensis Luzula intermedia Luzula multiflora f. umbrosa Juncus multiflorus Luzula tenella Juncoides erecta Gymnodes multiflora Luzula erecta Juncus erectus Luzula intermedia Juncoides campestris var. multiflora Juncus campestris var. multiflorus Juncus campestris var. tenuis Luzula campestris subsp. carpetana Luzula campestris subsp. erecta Luzula campestris subsp. multiflora Luzula campestris var. nemorosa Luzula erecta var. pallens Luzula intermedia var. multiflora Luzula multiflora var. flexuosa Luzula multiflora var. intermedia Luzula multiflora subsp. occidentalis Luzula multiflora subsp. pyrenaica Luzula multiflora subsp. tenella Luzula multiflora var. tenuis Luzula multiflora var. uliginosa Luzula spicata var. tenella Luzula multiflora var. pallescens Luzula campestris var. groenlandica Luzula campestris var. subspicata Luzula multiflora var. pallida Luzula multiflora subsp. thracica Cyperella campestris var. multiflora Luzula campestris var. multiflora Luzula multiflora var. multiflora Luzula campestris subsp. multiflora

Lower taxons

Luzula multiflora subsp. multiflora Luzula multiflora subsp. sibirica Luzula multiflora subsp. frigida Luzula multiflora subsp. snogerupii Luzula multiflora subsp. hibernica Luzula multiflora subsp. monticola