Juncus gerardii auct. non Lois
A Juncus compresso Jacq. subsp. compresso var. compresso plants statura breviora, subglauca, capsulis haud experiantho exserta differt. A. Juncus gerardii Lois. inflorescentia breviora, stylis brevioribus differt.
A greenish to subglaucous, perennial, with horizontally creeping rootstock and erect stems 20-30 cm tall; basal leaves about half as long as the stem cauline leaves 1-2, as long as or exceeding the inflorescence, linear, upto 1 mm broad, ± flat, subulate-tipped. Inflorescence terminal, short, cymose-panicled; lowest bract ± exceeding the inflorescence. Flowers 2-2.5 mm long; perianth segments subequal, oblong to subovate obtuse to subobtuse, the outer slightly incurved above, the inner more rounded and more broadly hyaline. Stamens 6, slightly shorter than perianth. Capsules subspherical-trigonous, slightly to hardly exceeding the perianth, minutely and abruptly beaked; style very short, hardly reaching 0.3 mm, shorter than stigmas.
Holotype: Kashmir, Jhelum valley, Manasbal lake, 5200 ft., 18. VII. 1940, R.R. Stewart 19423 (RAW).
Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir.
An interesting taxon, considered as Juncus compressus by Hook.f. (l.c.) and as Juncus gerardii by Kitamura (l.c.), but because of its very small style it is no doubt, the former species. However, its short fruits, hardly or slightly exceeding the perianth distinguish it from the true Juncus compressus, and its greenish appearance with ± obtuse or subobtuse perianth segments distinguishes it from the following subspecies jaxarticus (Krecz. & Gontsch) Jafri, which in our area seems to be confined to Baluchistan.