416 THE RUSH FAMILY. 



HABITATS AND LOCALITIES. 

 1. Common Hard Rush — {Juncus glaucus.) 



Everywhere in low wet places and by waysides. Fl. July, August. 

 E. B. X. 6G5. 



2. Common Soft Rush — [Juncus communis.) 



Ditches, pondsides, and in marshy ground, everywhere. Fl. July, 



August. 



Of this common but beautiful plant there are two extreme conditions, one with 

 large loose panicles two to four inches in length and breadth, and rather pale- 

 coloured; the other with the flowers densely packed together in clusters of about 

 an inch in diameter, and usually of a deep-brown. The former is usually called 

 Juncus effusus, and figured under that name in E. B. xii. 830 : the other is disv 

 tinguished as the Juncus conglomerdtus, and figiu-ed as such in E. B. xii. 835. 

 Intermediates of every grade of transition between these two forms may be 

 collected in the course of a few summers. 



3. Heath Rush — {Juncus squarrosus.) 



Barren sandy moors and heathy ground, common. Lindow Common. 

 Kersall Moor. Cobden Edge, near Strines. Rooley Moor, between 

 Rochdale and Rawtenstall, in the greatest abundance. Fl. July. 



E. B. xiii. 933. 



The stem is not invariably naked; a solitary leaf is sometimes produced at a 

 short distance above the ground. 



4. Common Jointed Rush — [Jtmcus acutijlurus.) 



On the edges of ponds, in ditches, especially where muddy, in 



swamps, on wet moors, and oven in dry ground, common everywhere. 



Fl. Summer. 



E. B. iv. 238 (as Juncus articiddtus). 



One of the most variable of our native plants, but always readily told by the 

 characters above-mentioned. The peculiar knotted or jointed feel of the leaves 

 when passed between the finger and thumb, would distinguish it, except from the 

 following species, even to a blind man. The most beautiful of its varieties is the 

 plant commonly called the shining-fruited rush, or Juncus lamprocarpus (E. B. 

 XXX. '.il43; Baxter, v. 3fl!)), which has capsules of ii fine polished black or purplish- 

 brown, those of the common form being pale and greenish. It is also rather 

 smaller in stature. Another very pretty variety is tlie little bog-rush, or Juncut 

 uliginosus of E. B. xii. 801, which is only a few inches high, and with panicles 



