Juncaceae

Rushes and wood-rushes, grass-like plants, with round solid stems; leaves three-ranked, basal or alternate and mainly along lower part of stem; sepals and petals each 3, usually scale-like and similar to one another in size, shape, and colour; capsular fruit containing multiple seeds. Most with an affinity for damp to wet habitats. Well-developed fruit and seeds are often critical for accurate identification. Stamen number is also useful in determining some species, and at least their stalks often persist after capsules form.

Flowers usually arranged in cymes or panicles toward top of stem, either singly or often clumped or condensed together to form head-like structures. One or more leaf-like bracts may be found below entire set of flowers, and smaller bracts also sometimes found immediately beneath individual flowers or beneath head-like flower clusters. Lowest leafy bract may sometimes be erect, appearing like a continuation of the stem and making it seem like the flowers are arising from the side of the stem. Flower parts usually all present and each in multiples of 3, like miniature lilies; pollen and seeds usually produced by each flower. Sepals and petals each 3, small, scale-like, separate, essentially alike (and called tepals), but in separate whorls. Sepals and petals often dull in colour (green, reddish brown, or black, rarely white or yellow), often making individual flowers inconspicuous, and often persisting on fruit. Stamens 3 or 6, separate or fused at the base of their stalks. Carpels 3, fused; ovary attached above the point of attachment of all other flower parts (superior); styles 3, often long.

Fruit capsules with 3 to many seeds. Flowers may sometimes be replaced by bulblets in some species, and may be replaced by large insect galls in species that have hard cross-partitions in the leaves.

Leaves highly variable, forming a sheath at the base. Sheath edges fused or overlapping. Ear like lobes (auricles) sometimes between top of sheath and leaf blade. Leaf blades usually with parallel veins and smooth edges, linear, flat, round (sometimes with hard cross-partitions at regular intervals) or absent. Leaf blades smooth and hairless in Rushes (Juncus), hairy in Wood-rushes (Luzula). Ligules and stipules absent.

Stem usually round and solid, mostly upright, the nodes inconspicuous and not swollen. Rhizomes often present.