Juncus pallescens Wahlenberg; Luzula pallescens (Wahlenberg) Besser

Rhizomes thickened. Culms cespitose, 9--35 cm. Leaves: basal leaves 6--11.5 cm x 1.5--4 mm, apex not callous, sparingly ciliate. Inflorescences umbellate-paniculate; glomerules 4--30 (each with 9--24 flowers), central glomerules sessile or nearly sessile, cylindric, 6--10 x 4 mm; branches straight, erect, to 3 cm; proximal inflorescence bract conspicuous, leaflike, equal to much longer than inflorescence; bracts clear, sometimes variegated with purple; bracteole margins dentate to lacerate. Flowers: tepals clear to straw-colored throughout or centers brown with clear margins and apex, 1.5--2.6 mm; outer whorl exceeding inner whorl, (outer whorl apex awned); anthers equaling to 1.5 times filament length. Capsules light or dark reddish, shining, spheric, usually equaling inner tepal whorl. Seeds translucent brown, ellipsoid, 0.7--1 mm; caruncle 0.2--0.3 mm. 2n = 12.

Flowering and fruiting early--late summer. Moist to wet woods, grassy places, and clearings on rocky places and barrens; 0--1000 m; introduced; N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Que.; N.Y., Vt.; Eurasia.

Basal leaves of Luzula pallidula are sparingly ciliate.

For discussion of the change of the widely known name for this species, see J. Kirschner (1990).