Juncus gerardi Loisel.
Erect tufts forming a loose sward from a far-extending black rhizome. Stems 40-80 cm tall, rather slender, wiry. Leaves narrow, c. ½ length of stem, very shallowly channelled, lowest 1-2 reduced to sheaths, auricles short. Inflorescence 3-8- (12) cm long, strict, with few unequal branches. Flowers ± distant and borne singly towards tips of secondary branchlets. Tepals 2.5-4 mm long, ± equal, outer incurved or ± hooded at tip, dark brown to black, Capsule 3 mm long, ± = or slightly > tepals, obovoid, obtuse with a slight mucro, light brown.
N. Auckland - Auckland City, Miranda, Athenree, Tauranga; Wellington - Porirua Harbour, Wellington Harbour. S. Marlborough Sounds - Havelock, Okiwi Bay; Westland - Greymouth; Canterbury - Saltwater Creek, New Brighton (J. B.Armstrong); Otago - Wai-kouaiti, Blueskin Bay, head of Otago Harbour, Andersons Bay, Taieri River near Henley and above Taieri Mouth, near Alexandra; Southland - Invercargill, near Bluff. Saline flats. (Europe, Asia, N. Africa, N. America)
Fig 18
First record: Petrie 1894: 274.
First collection: "Anderson' s Bay, Dunedin, in several places," D. Petrie, Jan. 1891 (WELT 44274).
J. gerardii is unlike any other sp.; it forms large patches in salt marshes, and is recognised by the far-extending black rhizomes, and dark brown to black, blunt- or hooded-tipped tepals.
A characteristic plant of coastal estuarine sites, but its occurrence near Alexandra, Central Otago, suggests that it could be found on other inland saline soils. At Invercargill it persists on non-saline soils in vacant areas, introduced initially in estuarine material used as fill.
