Posted by Peter Hyland on August 18, 2013 at 10:32:06 user Peter_H.
There is huge interest on Tarboard with regard to the provision of water in AR’s stories, so what about a plant that has a vital importance in Pigeon Post - the green rushes in Tyson’s wood which Dick noticed, and which were the evidence for the existence of water near to High Topps – what exactly were they? I can’t be sure, but I think they may be Luzula sylvatica, or Great Woodrush. This has grass-like leaves (Dick’s specimen looked like a blade of grass) and is common in wet woodlands. It is known to grow in the Lake District in wet areas of the lower fellsides and woods. It can grow to about 1 foot high.
As usual with plants, there are a number of other candidates to be ‘Dick’s rushes’ . . . Dick said that if you broke a leaf of this type of rush, there appeared to be ‘suds’ inside.