General:
Perennial, tufted herb from short rhizomes; stems numerous, erect, 40-90 cm tall.

Leaves:
Located on the lower part of the stem, nearly circular in cross-section, tapered, stiff, with prominent complete cross-walls; sheaths open, with short, rounded, ear-shaped lobes.

Flowers:
Inflorescence terminal, conic, as wide as long to twice as long as wide, 5-20 cm long, the heads with more than 10 flowers, the branches spreading; perianth segments greenish-brown, 3.5-4.5 mm long, pointed, the inner shorter than the outer; stamens 6; anthers 0.7-1 mm long, shorter than the filaments.

Fruits:
Capsules, pointed, about as long as the perianth segments or only slightly longer; seeds spindle-shaped, about 0.4 mm long, with long, tail-like appendages on both ends that are more than 1/2 of the seed bodies.

Notes:
This species was erroneously treated as J. brevicaudatus in Ceska (1994).

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Flower Colour:
Green

Blooming Period:
Mid Summer

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall

Source:  The USDA

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Juncus canadensis var. euroauster Fernald
Juncus canadensis var. sparsiflorus Fernald