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Tapertip Rush

Juncus acuminatus

Tapertip Rush Locations in North America
Tapertip Rush Locations in Southeast US

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 481.

What is Tapertip Rush?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

  • Few by the base
  • Scattered along the stem
  • 0.05-0.13 inches thick near the middle
  • Thin at tip

Flowers:

  • 1.19-5.91 inches long
  • Few branching
  • Sepals 0.13-0.16 inches long
  • Petals 0.09-0.14 inches long
  • Reddish-brown in color
  • 3 stamen

Fruit:

  • Seed pod
  • Egg-shaped
  • 0.09-0.13 inches long

Stem:

  • Hollow
  • 5.5-31.5 inches long
  • Upright
  • 0.05-0.13 inches thick

Where Does it Grow?

Tapertip rush can be found in wet meadows, one the edge of ponds, streams and marshes.

Pros and Cons of Tapertip Rush

Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.

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Photo Credits: The majority of the aquatic plant line drawings are the copyright of the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants (Gainsville). They are used with permission.

Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

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