RUSH  . Under the name of rush or rushes, the stalks, or hollow

stem-like leaves of several plants have minor industrial applications . The common rushes (species of Juncus; see JUNCACEAE) are used in many parts of the world for chair-bottoms, mats and basket-work, and the pith serves as wicks in open oil-lamps and for tallow candles—whence rushlight . The fibrous stems and leaves of the bulrush or reed-mace . Typha angustifolia, are used in N . India for ropes, mats and baskets . Scirpus and other Cyperaceae are used for chair-bottoms, mats and thatch; the rush mats of Madras are made from a species of Cyperus . The sweet-rush, yielding essential oil, is a grass, Andropogon Schoenanthus, known also as lemon grass . Large quantities of the " horse-tail," Equisetum hie-male, are used under the name of Dutch or scouring rush for scouring metal and other hard surfaces on account of the large proportion of silica the plant contains . Flowering rush is Butomus umbellatus (see ALISMACEAE); wood-rush is the common name for Luzula (see JUNCACEAE) . Acorus Calamus, sweet-flag, is also known as sweet-rush .