Rushes and rush-like plants

Rush Family - Juncaceae

See also Sedges for other, similar species.

Sea Rush Juncus maritimus

Native to coastal areas of Europe, the Mediterranean and Black Sea, as well as in inland, pannonic habitats, eastwards to Central Asia. Commonly forms spreading stands in saltmarsh habitats.


Habit	Habit	Flower spike	Flowers

Stem tip	Fruiting spike	Fruiting spike	Fruits

Sharp Rush Juncus acutus

Native to Macaronesia, southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region. Frequent in seasonally wet meadows near the coast.


Habit	Habit	Stem tip	Flowers

Flowers	Flowers	Fruits

Heldreich's Rush Juncus heldreichianus

Native from southern Albania through Greece and Turkey to northern Iran. Typically near the coast in seasonally wet hollows and dune slacks. A tussock-forming species that resembles a smaller, softer version of Sharp Rush.


Habit	Habit	Stem tip

Fruits	Fruits	Fruits

Hard Rush Juncus inflexus

Native to Macaronesia, Europe and the Mediterranean Region, eastwards to South-east Asia. A frequent plant of over-grazed grasslands.


Habit	Flower spike	Flower spike	Flowers

Stem	Stem pith	Fruits	Fruits

Soft Rush Juncus effusus

Native throughout the temperate and warm temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere and in some Southern Hemisphere regions. Introduced and possibly also native elsewhere. A common plant of over-grazed grassland, especially in seasonally wet meadows. The variety subglomeratus has more compact flowerheads than the typical form.


Habit	Flower spike	Flower spike	var. subglomeratus

var. subglomeratus	Stem	Stem pith

Fine-leaved Rush Juncus subulatus

Native throughout the Mediterranean and eastwards into western Asia. A common component of more or less permanent wetlands, where it can form extensive stands from creeping root systems.


Habit	Early flower spike	Leaves amd stems

Stem detail	Stem pith	Fruits	Fruits

Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii

Native throughout the temperate and warm temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Forms low carpets along the upper margins of saltmarsh and on saline mudflats.


Habit	Habit	Young flower spike	Channelled leaves

Flowers	Flowers	Young fruits	Fruits

Toad Rush Juncus bufonius

Native throughout the temperate and warm temperate parts of the World.


Habit	Habit	Habit	Flowering spike

Flower	Flower	Young fruit	Fruit

Jointed Rush Juncus articulatus

Native throughout the temperate and warm temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere.


Habit	Flowering spike	Flowering spike	Flowering spike

Flower	Flowers	Fruits	Leaves

Sedge Family - Cyperaceae

Common Club-rush Schoenoplectus lacustris

Native throughout most of the temperate and warm temperate parts of Eurasia, southward to North Africa and India. Forms spreading stands of tough, upright stems in permanent or seasonally dry wetlands.


Habit	Habit	Early flower spike	Flowering spike

Flowering spike	Flower bracts without spots

Grey Club-rush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

Native throughout much of the World, though more cosmopolitan in the Northern Hemisphere. Differs from Common Club-rush in being more greyish-green and in having rusty spots on the flower bracts.


Habit	Early flower spike	Flowering spikes	Flowering spike

Flowering spike	Flowering spike	Flowering spike	Flower bracts with rusty spots

Round-headed Club-rush Scirpoides holoschoenus

Native throughout Europe and the Mediterranean Region eastwards to Central Asia.


Habit	Flower spike	Male flowers	Male flowers

Female flowers	Female flowers

Black Bog-rush Schoenus nigricans

Native throughout most of Europe and the Mediterranean Region and discontinuously in parts of North America and Africa.


Habit	Habit	Flowering spike	Flowering spike

Flower spike	Stem detail	Fruiting spike	Fruiting spike

Common Spike-rush Eleocharis palustris

Native throughout temperate and warm temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. May occur as small colonies amongst other marginal wetland plants, or may form extensive mats of stems, often ringing entire pools.


Habit	Habit	Habit	Female flowers

Male and female flowers	Fruiting spike	Leaf sheath truncate at apex	Fruit

Slender Club-rush Isolepis cernua

Native to Western Europe and the Mediterranean Region and discontinuously in higher regions of North and South America, Africa and Australia. A tiny plant with flower spikes 2-5mm long.


Habit	Habit	Habit	Flower spikes

Flower spike	Flower spike	Fruit	Fruit

Flora of Lesvos An Identification Guide