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Inland Rush (Juncus interior)

• Family: Rush (Juncaceae)
• Flowering: May-August.
• Field Marks: Inland rush has flat leaves and leaf sheaths with short, rounded auricles. The achenes are usually pale brown.
• Habitat: Wet prairies, wet meadows, fallow fields; also in drier habitats.
• Habit: Perennial herb with tufted roots.
• Stems: Erect, smooth, up to 3 feet tall.
• Leaves: Elongated, very narrow, flat, all near the base of the plant, smooth.
• Flowers: Several, scattered, borne along ascending branchlets and not overlapping.
• Sepals: 3, green, very narrowly lanceolate, tapering to a long point, about 1/6 inch long.
• Petals: 3, green, very narrowly lanceolate, tapering to a long point, about 1/6 inch long.
• Stamens: 6.
• Pistils: Ovary superior.
• Fruits: Capsules oblongoid, rounded at the tip, about as long as the sepals and petals.
• Notes: The seeds are eaten by waterfowl.