Juncaginaceae: Arrow Grass Family. Identify plants and flowers.

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Juncaginaceae: Arrow Grass Family Plant Identification Characteristics.

Juncaginaceae
Plants of the Arrow Grass Family

Members of the Arrowgrass family are perennial herbs, typically growing in shallow fresh or salt water or in damp meadows. The flowers can be either bisexual or unisexual. The flowers are small, with 3 sepals and 3 petals or 6 tepals, a term used when the sepals and petals cannot be distinguished from each other. There are usually 6 stamens (sometimes 4, and only 1 in Lilaea). There are 3 to 6 simple pistils (apocarpous), wholly separated or united only at the base, forming 1 or a few seeds per cell. The pistils are positioned superior to the other parts. Each pistil matures into a dry fruit called a follicle (a capsule that opens along a single seam).

Worldwide, there are 4 genera and 26 species. North American genera are listed below. Scheuchzeria is sometimes separated into a its own Scheuchzeriaceae.

Key Words: Grassy plants with non-showy flowers and 3 to 6.

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