Rostkovia magellanica (Lam.) Hook.f.
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Authority
Balslev, Henrik. 1996. Juncaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 68: 1-167. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Juncaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Chile. Magallanes: Magellan, Commerson s.n. (holotype, P!, photo, AAU!; isotypes, P!, US!).
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Synonyms
Juncus magellanicus Lam., Rostkovia sphaerocarpa Desv., Rostkovia magellanica f. pumila Albov
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Description
Species Description - Loosely cespitose herbs, 15-30 cm high. Rhizome erect or ascending, sometimes short creeping, 1.5-2.5 mm diam.; occasionally with runners covered with brown 1-1.5 cm long scales inserted 0.5-1 cm apart. Culms erect, 0.5-1 mm diam., with unevenly spaced longitudinal ridges. Cataphylls 2-4 per culm, to 7 cm long, longitudinally ridged, light brown, with smooth, red-brown margins; rudimentary blade to 4 mm long. Foliar leaves 15-25 cm long; sheaths resembling cataphylls, sometimes slightly longer, auricles ca. 1 mm long, rounded; blades flat, slightly trigonous or channeled adaxially, narrowly grooved along abaxial midrib. Pedicel 1-3 mm long. Flowers subtended by a long, herbaceous lower bract to 4 cm long and a scale-like upper bract to 1 cm long. Tepals equal, lanceolate, 6-7 mm long, dark reddish brown, gradually scariose toward the margin, obtuse, but appearing acuminate because of the inflexed scariose margins; inner tepals with apical margins inflexed as well. Stamens ca. 4.5 mm long; filaments linear, flat; anthers ca. 2.5 mm long, mucronate. Style ca. 4 mm long; stigmas ca. 2.5 mm long. Capsule ca. 4 mm wide, thick walled, dark brown to black. Seeds oblong to ovoid, ca. 1.3 x 0.8 mm, glossy with fine color pattern of longitudinal blackish rectangles.
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Discussion
Apart from these specimens, many extra-tropical collections have been examined and annotated.
Distribution and Ecology: Rostkovia magellanica is a mainly sub-Antarctic and trans-Pacific species. Its distribution in the Pacific Ocean includes New Zealand and the Auckland and Campbell islands. East of the Pacific Ocean it occurs in Patagonia, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and disjunctly in Ecuador. Collections of this species are plentiful from Patagonia and the Falkland Islands but scarce from the other areas. The distribution, ecology, and history of discovery of R. magellanica were discussed in detail by Balslev (1979b).
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Distribution
Ecuador South America| Azuay Ecuador South America| Carchi Ecuador South America| Chimborazo Ecuador South America| Cotopaxi Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Morona-Santiago Ecuador South America| Napo Ecuador South America|