Juncus canadensis J. Gay ex Laharpe var. subcaudatus Engelmann, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 2: 474. 1868; J. subcaudatus var. planisepalus Fernald

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 1.5--6 dm. Culms erect, 1--3 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 0--1, straw-colored, apex acute. Leaves: basal 1, cauline 1--3; auricles 0.5--1 mm, apex rounded, scarious; blade terete, 4.5--15 cm x 1--2 mm. Inflorescences panicles or racemes of 3--35 heads, 2--16 cm, branches widely spreading (at least the proximalmost); primary bract erect; heads 2--10(--20)-flowered, obconic to nearly spheric, 3--9 mm diam. Flowers: tepals greenish, becoming straw-colored, lanceolate; outer tepals 1.8--3 mm, apex acuminate; inner tepals 2--3.2 mm, apex acuminate; stamens 3, anthers 1/3 filament length. Capsules exserted, straw-colored, imperfectly 3-locular, ovoid to prismatic, 3--3.8 mm, apex acute proximal to beak, valves separating at dehiscence. Seeds ellipsoid, 0.7--1.2 mm, tailed; body covered with whitish translucent veil.

Fruiting late summer--fall. Stream banks, lake and pond shores, bogs, and other wet places; 0--1000 m; Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Ill., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Tenn., Va., W.Va.