Patersonia juncea
# Patersonia juncea

Patersonia juncea, commonly known as rush leaved patersonia, is a species of plant in the iris family Iridaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tufted perennial herb with linear leaves and pale violet tepals.

## Description

Patersonia juncea is a tufted perennial herb that grows to a height of 7–30 cm (2.8–11.8 in) and forms a rhizome. The leaves are linear, 70–220 mm (2.8–8.7 in) long, 0.6–1.4 mm (0.024–0.055 in) wide and more or less cylindrical with a deep longitudinal groove. The flowering scape is 50–240 mm (2.0–9.4 in) long and glabrous. The outer tepals are pale violet, 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long and 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) wide, and the hypanthium tube is 25–35 mm (0.98–1.38 in) long and glabrous. Flowering mainly occurs from August to October.

## Taxonomy and naming

Patersonia juncea was first described in 1840 by John Lindley in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. The specific epithet (juncea) means "rush-like".

## Distribution and habitat

Rush leaved patersonia grows in forest, woodland mallee and scrub between Eneabba and Israelite Bay in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren.

## Conservation status

Patersonia juncea is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

