Juncus leucomelas Royle ex D. Don

Similar to the previous species but flowers whitish with exserted anthers, capsules c. as long as the perianth and lowest bract usually much exceeding the inflorescence.

A high altitude plant, confined to Kashmir and Karakoram mountains in our area.

Perennial, greenish herb, 10-25 cm tall, with short rootstock, simple, filiform, hollow stem, without cauline leaves. Basal leaves only 1-2, filiform, tubular, shorter than stem, with scarcely margined basal sheaths with rounded auricles. Terminal flowering head, 3-8-flowered, whitish with pale to somewhat brownish bracts, the lowest slightly to much exceeding the flowering head. Flowers (4-) 5-6 mm long; perianth segments ± linear, obtuse, membranous. Stamens 6, exserted; anthers c. 2 mm long, linear-oblong. Capsules oblong-ovoid, 4-5 mm long, minutely beaked; seeds many c. 2 mm long, including tailed ends.

Plants perennial, tufted, 5--16(--25) cm tall. Rhizome creeping. Stems subterete, 0.5--0.9 mm in diam., striate. Cataphylls few. Basal leaves 1 or 2; leaf sheath auricles absent or obtuse, membranous, free portion ca. 0.5 mm; leaf blade flat, unitubular, channeled, 1--8 cm × 0.6--1 mm, margin convolute to subterete. Inflorescences terminal; head solitary, 6--15 mm in diam., 6--13-flowered; bracts 3--5, pale brown, broadly ovate to lanceolate, 1--2.5 cm; basal 1(or 2) bracts leaflike, 1.5--2.3 mm to 2 × head length. Perianth segments lanceolate, 5.2--6.5 × ca. 1.2 mm, subequal, membranous, center chestnut brown to reddish brown, margin yellowish, apex obtuse. Stamens 6; filaments 4--5 mm; anthers 2.2--2.5 mm, slightly smaller in basal flowers. Style 1.8--2.5 mm; stigmas 0.9--2.1 mm. Capsule ovoid-oblong, usually shorter than perianth, 3-septate, apex mucronate. Seeds sawdustlike; appendages 2. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep.

Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), Tibet.

Distribution: Himalayas, from Kashmir to Sikkim, Karakoram and Tibet.

Gansu, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].

3000-5600 m

Fl.Per.: July-August.

Meadows on slopes; 3000--4500 m.