Culms densely to loosely cespitose, 10–40 cm. Leaves: basal leaves 3.5–12 cm × 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.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., N.S., N.W.T., Nfld. and Labr., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Conn., D.C., Del., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Mass., Md., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tenn., Va., Vt., W.Va., Wash., Wis., Wyo., Eurasia.

Discussion

Many names have been applied to members of this variable complex throughout the range of this flora. No monograph is yet available to enable a satisfactory treatment. Juncus multiflorus (Ehrhart) Hoffmann (1800), not Retzius (1795), is an illegitimate name that pertains here.

Subspecies 6 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

Jarolimova, V. and J. Kirschner. 1995. Tetraploids in Luzula multiflora (Juncaceae) in Ireland. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 30: 389--396.

Kirschner, J. 1990. Luzula multiflora and allied species (Juncaceae): A nomenclatural study. Taxon 39: 106--114.

Lower Taxa

Luzula multiflora subsp. frigida, Luzula multiflora subsp. kobayasii, Luzula multiflora subsp. multiflora

Key

1	Tepals of outer and inner whorls not similar, outer whorl pointed, inner whorl truncate-mucronate; dark brown to chestnut to blackish	Luzula multiflora subsp. frigida
1	Tepals of outer and inner whorls similar, pointed, straw-colored to chestnut.	> 2
2	Tepals straw-colored to brown; cauline leaves not or only barely overlapping; proximal inflorescence bract equal to or barely exceeding inflorescence	Luzula multiflora subsp. multiflora
2	Tepals chestnut; cauline leaves greatly overlapping; proximal inflorescence bract well exceeding inflorescence	Luzula multiflora subsp. kobayasii