Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 0.3--3.5 dm. Culms 1--8, 0.3--0.5 mm diam. Cataphylls 1--2. Leaves basal, 2--4; auricles slightly prolonged, rounded, scarious to ± leathery; blade deeply channeled, 2--10 cm, mostly shorter than culms. Inflorescences solitary heads, each with 2--3(--50) flowers; primary bracts brownish, nearly equal to or slightly shorter thanabout equaling inflorescence. Flowers: tepals pale brown or darker, oblong-lanceolate, 3--5 mm, outer and inner series nearly equal; stamens 6, filaments 2.5--4 mm, anthers 0.6--1 mm; styles 0.5--0.8 mm. Capsules tan, pseudo-3-locular, 3-gonous--cylindric, apex obtuse, mucronate. Seeds tan or darker, fusiform, body 0.5--1 mm, tails 0.6--1 mm.

Varieties 3 (2 in the flora): North America; Eurasia.

Lower Taxa

• Juncus triglumis var. albescens Lange
• Juncus triglumis var. triglumis