Summary ²

Erect perennial rush; 1.5-30 cm tall; stems only 1 mm wide, stiffly erect and arising in rows along creeping rhizomes. Leaves: leaves reduced to brown basal sheaths. Flowers: compact flower head (formed of 5-7 florets) with stem-like bract at its base; this makes it appear as if the flower head arises from one side of the stem, at or even below the midpoint in height. Fruit: globose to three sided, 3 mm long, mucronate, light brown; dispersed by water, birds and wind; no data on viability in soil.

Comments ²

Thread rush could be confused with the native rush, however, the latter has terminal flower heads positioned at the tips of stems, leaves arise in tufts from creeping rhizomes and have obvious septa.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Susan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Susan
2. (c) stuwhiterod, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

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