Finding this hybrid rush took some doing even though we knew it was present in the dunes we were exploring. It is actually very uncommon and an English endemic. The Baltic rush (Juncus balticus) is according to the distribution map a Northern Scottish species, the most southerly occurrence in Scotland being near Dundee. After that, a few hundred miles south, the only English occurrence is in these Southport dunes which makes the hybrid even less likely to occur.
In the extensive patch which we saw, the plants were mostly about 1.5 to 2m tall (taller than either parent) and the flowers and fruit had the look of a very straggly and over-sized J. inflexus (Hard Rush). As often happens with hybrids between differents species of rush or sedge the plant was sterile and the little seed pods (utricles) which you can see in the photograph were hollow.
In this case there is no common English name for this plant and neither is there a distinct Latin name for the hybrid.
Southport Dunes 23rd July 2005
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Added on July 24th 2005