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Key to Luzula

Juncaceae

Luzula

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1 Flowers borne singly (rarely paired) at the tips of elongated inflorescence branches; [subgenus Pterodes].
  2 Inflorescences simple, with an occasional pedicel branching from the base of a flower; apical appendages of seeds 0.6-1.5 (-2.1) mm long; seed/appendage length ratio 0.8-1.7
  2 Inflorescences usually branching, the pedicels commonly paired; apical appendages of seeds 0.4-1.1 mm long; seed/appendage length ratio 1.0-2.8
1 Flowers borne in dense glomerate clusters (glomerules) of 3 or more sessile or subsessile flowers; [subgenus Luzula, section Luzula].
    3 Flowers in clusters of 2-8; tepals white or pink; inflorescence a diffuse dichasial panicle or corymb of glomerules; [subgenus Anthelaea]
    3 Flowers in 5-12-flowered glomerules; tepals light brown to dark brown; secondary inflorescence spike-like or corymbose; [subgenus Luzula, section Luzula]
      4 Inflorescence branches divergent, at least some widely spreading (though less so before anthesis); glomerules capitate to broadly ovoid, not cylindric; leaves with a minute point at tip
      4 Inflorescence branches erect, none widely spreading; glomerules often cylindric (less commonly merely capitate); leaves with a blunt tip in the form of an obvious callous.
        5 Seeds 0.9-1.3 mm long; caruncles (seed appendages) 0.5-0.7 mm long; plants producing several basal bulblets (white swollen leaf bases); capsules equal to or longer than the tepals
        5 Seeds 1.1-1.7 mm long; caruncles (seed appendages) 0.2-0.5 mm long; plants not producing basal bulblets; capsules shorter than the tepals