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Key to Juncus, KEY D: Subkey in Juncus

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1 Leaves flattened, narrowly elliptic in cross-section.
  2 Leaves with incomplete septae; heads about 10 mm diameter; tips of dehisced capsules united; [subgenus Juncus, section Iridifolii]
  2 Leaves with complete septae; heads about 12 mm diameter; tips of dehisced capsules split; [subgenus Juncus, section Ozophyllum]
1 Leaves terete, not at all flattened; [subgenus Juncus, section Ozophyllum].
    3 Plants strictly cespitose, without any short, hard, knotty rhizomes; tepals lanceolate
    3 Plants with at least some short, hard, knotty rhizomes; tepals lanceolate-subulate.
      4 Capsules shorter than the tepals, clearly included within the tepals at maturity
      4 Capsules equaling or exceeding the tepals, exserted from or only barely included within the tepals at maturity.
        5 Capsule valves separating at the apex at maturity; stamens 6.
          6 Heads 6-20 flowered, 6-9 mm diameter; auricles cartilaginous, 0.5-1.0 mm long
          6 Heads 25-100 flowered, 10-14 mm diameter; auricles membranous, 2.5-4.0 mm long
        5 Capsule valves remaining united at the apex after dehiscence; stamens 3.
             7 Culms 4-8 mm in diameter near the base, usually > 80 cm tall; inflorescences usually > 15 cm tall, with > 25 heads; largest leaf blades > 25 cm long and > 3 mm in diameter
             7 Culms 1-3 mm in diameter near the base, usually < 80 cm tall; inflorescences usually < 10 cm tall, with < 25 heads; largest leaf blades < 25 cm long and 1-2 mm in diameter.
               8 Uppermost cauline leaf blade much shorter than its sheath; tepals reddish to reddish brown; outer tepals significantly longer than the inner tepals; basal leaf sheaths and cataphylls deep reddish purple
               8 Uppermost cauline leaf blade equaling or longer than its sheath; tepals green to straw-colored; outer tepals and inner tepals of similar length; basal leaf sheaths and cataphylls straw-colored to brown.
                 9 Heads spherical, not lobulate; mature capsule 3.0-4.5 mm long