Luzula comosa var. laxa

Luzula comosa var. laxa
	Photo by Robert L. Carr. Also featured on Main Page.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae;
Subkingdom:	Viridiplantae;
Phylum:	Tracheophyta;
Subphylum:	Spermatophytina;
Class:	Magnoliopsida;
Subclass:	Lilianae;
Order:	Poales;
Family:	Juncaceae;
Genus:	Luzula DC.;
Species:	Luzula comosa E. Mey;
Subspecies:	Luzula comosa var. laxa Buchenau (not accepted);
Synonyms
	Luzula intermedia (Thuill.) A. Nelson; Luzula multiflora ssp. comosa (E. Mey.) Hultén; Luzula comosa var. congesta (Thuill.) S. Watson; Luzula multiflora var. comosa (E. Mey.) H. St. John;

Latin Name: Luzula comosa var. laxa
Family: Juncaceae
Common Names: Pacific woodrush
Synonyms/Misapplications: Luzula intermedia, Luzula multiflora subsp. comosa
Codon: LUZCOM

Taxonomy

^[1]

Description

Native tufted perennial, reaching 1-4 dm in height.

Leaves are grass-like, reddish to green, with long, fine hairs along leaf margin.

Inflorescence consists of 1 to 6 brownish glomerules (a condensed, headlike, cluster of flowers). The individual flowers consist of 6 membranous pallid, brownish tepals. Luzula comosa var. laxa generally has a more open, subumbellate inflorescence than Luzula comosa var. comosa, which has a tighter capitate inflorescence.

Juncaceae family members are differentiated from grasses in that they typically feature round stems, without nodes. ^[2]^[3]

Bloom Period

April to July^[2]

Distribution

BC to California, along both sides of Cascades, east to Alberta, Montana, Utah, and New Mexico.^[3]

Habitat

Openings, rocky slopes, forest, and shores, coastal to montane.^[3]

Seed

Seed sample from: 2008

Average Measurement: 1.5 x 0.9 x 0.9

Measurement Range: L: 1.2 – 1.8, W: 0.8 – 1, D:0.8 – 1

Features

Shape: Seeds have prominent white caruncle. Seed mostly round except for a slightly pointed tapering at hilum and opposite apex.

Color: Seed coat is white over a dark reddish brown seed body.

Surface: On one side of seed there is a cloudy white line that crosses from hilum to opposite apex. Seed is lustrous and marked with many fine longitudinal lines.

Latitudinal Cross Section: elliptical

Longitudinal Cross Section: elliptical

Photo Gallery

Photo by Robert L. Carr

References

↑ Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=39339#null
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Bowcutt, F., & Hamman, Sarah. (2016). Vascular plants of the South Sound prairies (First ed.). Olympia, Washington: The Evergreen State College Press.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D., & Legler, B. et al. (2018). Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an illustrated manual. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

[1] Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=39339#null

[:0-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Bowcutt, F., & Hamman, Sarah. (2016). Vascular plants of the South Sound prairies (First ed.). Olympia, Washington: The Evergreen State College Press.

[:1-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D., & Legler, B. et al. (2018). Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an illustrated manual. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

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