| Author | Michaux | |
| Distribution | Throughout the state; no doubt in every county.
N.S. to Ont. and MN, south to northern FL, TX, and northern Mex. Also Honduras; and B.C. to CA and AZ. | |
| Abundance | Common throughout; widespread and readily found. | |
| Habitat | A wide variety of wet soils: shores of ponds, impoundments, and streams; cypress-gum depressions and bays, beaver ponds, montane seepages, meadows, interdune marshes, fresh and fresh-tidal marshes, roadside ditches. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting May-August. | |
| Identification | Tapertip Rush grows 1.5-2.5 feet. Heads are chestnut colored and occur on strongly ascending branches; thus the inflorescence, although open, is not very wide. Tepals taper to sharp points and are as long as the fruit. From other similar-looking rushes, Tapertip differs in having heads that are hemispherical (not round), seeds that lack obvious "tails" at each end, and capsules about equalling the fruit (vs. much longer). J. elliottii has dark brown or blackish tepals and at least some roots possess tubers (vs. none). | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
NOTE on Juncus: These "grasslike" or "sedgelike" plants occur in most habitats, especially where moist or wet. They can immediately be told from grasses and sedges by the presence of 6 tepals (petal-like) that surround the fruit. These tepals can be thought of as analogous to sepals and petals of, say, lilies or trilliums. Most species have brown, chestnut, or reddish tepals and dark brown fruits. The flowers occur in few- to many-flowered heads. Leaves are nearly all basal and round in cross-section. Stems are unbranched, except for the inflorescence. Fruits are termed capsules and contain many tiny seeds. | |
| Other Common Name(s) | Sharp-fruited Rush, Tufted Rush | |
| State Rank | S5 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | OBL link |
| USACE-emp | OBL link |
