Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, 2--6 dm. Rhizomes 2--3 mm diam. Culms erect, 2--6 mm diam. Cataphylls 0 or 1--2, straw-colored, apex narrowly acute. Leaves: basal 1--3, cauline 2--6, straw-colored; auricles absent; blade 2--25 cdm x 1.5--6 mm. Inflorescences panicles or racemes of 2--50 heads or heads solitary, 2--14 cm, erect or ascending branches; primary bract erect; heads 3--70-flowered, obovoid to globose, 7--11 mm diam. Flowers: tepals green to brown or reddish brown, lanceolate; outer tepals 2.7--3.6(--4) mm, apex acuminate; inner tepals 2.2--3(--3.5) mm, nearly equal, apex acuminate; stamens 3 or 6; anthers ½1/2 to equal filament length. Capsules included to slightly exserted, chestnut to dark brown, 1-locular, oblong, 2.4--4.3 mm, apex obtuse proximal to beak. Seeds elliptic to obovate, 0.4--1 mm, occasionally tailed.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): North America; introduced in Europe and East Asia.

Lower Taxa

• Juncus ensifolius var. ensifolius
• Juncus ensifolius var. montanus (Engelmann) C. L. Hitchcock