Luzula piperi
Piper's woodrush
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta, Montana, and northwestern Wyoming.

Habitat: Moraines, rocky slopes, open forest, and subalpine to alpine meadows.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Perennial with short, horizontal rhizomes; stems densely clumped, 10-30 cm.

Leaves:

Basal blades green, 5-10 cm long and 2-4 mm broad, firm, typically glabrous, apex typically not callous; cauline leaves 2-3, 3-7 cm long and 3-5 mm broad.

Inflorescence:

Dichasial cyme, branches spreading at less than right angles, lax; proximal bract leaflike, up to 1.5 cm, bracts and bracteoles brown, clear at apex, margins ciliate.

Flowers:

Flowers single or in clusters of 2-3; tepals dark brown, 1-2.5 mm, generally equal, not curved, apex acute; anthers more or less equal to filament length; stigmas 5 times longer than style.

Fruits:

Capsules dark brown, ellipsoid, less than 2.5 mm but longer than tepals; beak absent; seeds light yellowish brown, lanceolate and narrow at ends, 1.2 mm.

Accepted Name:
Luzula piperi (Coville) M.E. Jones
Publication: Bull. Biol. Ser. Bull. State Univ. Montana. 15: 22. 1910.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Juncoides piperi Coville
Luzula wahlenbergii Rupr., misapplied [FNA22]
Luzula wahlenbergii Rupr. ssp. piperi (Coville) Hultén
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Luzula piperi in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Luzula piperi checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Luzula piperi information.

E-Flora BC: Luzula piperi atlas page.

CalPhotos: Luzula piperi photos.

USDA Plants: Luzula piperi information.

2 photographs:
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