Herbs, perennial, cespitose, 1--2.5 dm. Culms erect, terete, 1--2 mm diam., smooth. Cataphylls 0--1, maroon or dark green, apex acute. Leaves: basal 0--1, cauline 1--3; auricles 1--1.5 mm, apex rounded, scarious; blade maroon or dark green, terete, 1--12.5 cm x 0.5--1.5 mm. Inflorescences terminal panicles of 3--50 heads, 2--8 cm, branches ascending to spreading; primary bract erect; heads 2--10-flowered, obpyramidal, 2--5 mm diam. Flowers: tepals green to straw-colored, lanceolate, 1.8--2.3(--2.5) mm, apex sharply acuminate; stamens 3, 1/2 filament length. Capsules exserted, straw-colored, 1-locular, narrowly ellipsoid to lanceoloid, 2.8--3.7 7(--4.2) mm, apex acute, valves separating at dehiscence. Seeds ellipsoid, 0.3--0.4 mm, not tailed; body clear yellow-brown. Fruiting summer. Marshy shores, in small streams, swamps, wet clearings, spring runs, commonly in very soft mucky substrates; 0--700 m; Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.; Mexicos (Chiapas); Central America (Honduras). Juncus debilis A. Gray is a name being proposed for conservation.