General:
Perennial, loosely tufted herb from short rhizomes; stems erect or spreading, 15-75 cm long, often submerged, rooting at the nodes, often also viviparous (producing plantlets in the inflorescence).

Leaves:
Located on the lower part of the stem, nearly circular in cross-section, tapered, the early leaves threadlike, flaccid, other leaves firm and erect, usually submerged, with prominent, complete crosswalls, sheaths open, with short, rounded, ear-shaped lobes.

Flowers:
Inflorescence terminal, 5-15 cm long, in 2 to 6 heads of 3 to 10 flowers, the branches ascending; perianth segments dark brown or reddish-brown, 3-4.5 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, pointed, or short-awned, the inner about the same length as the outer; stamens 6; anthers 0.7-1 mm long, shorter than the filaments.

Fruits:
Capsules, narrowly cylindrical, pointed, 1-1.5 mm longer than the perianth segments, black; seeds spindle-shaped, about 0.6-0.7 mm long, lacking tail-like appendages.

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

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Juncus oreganus S. Watson