Rush is the common name for a group of grasslike plants that generally grow in marshes and meadows, and sometimes in standing water. The true rushes belong to one family. They have round stems with three rows of leaves, and their tiny flowers are greenish or brown. The small seed pod contains many dustlike brown seeds. The slender rush is a wiry, dark-green plant that often grows on damp paths and lawns. Most other species grow in marshes or damp meadows. Rushes are used to weave baskets, mats, and chair seats. At one time, the pith of the stems was used for wicks in candles called rushlights. Various plants called rushes are not true rushes. Scouring rushes, also called horsetails, are related to the ferns (see Horsetail ). Bulrushes are actually sedges (see Bulrush ).
