The spikerushes are actually a type of sedge (not a rush). They can be difficult to distinguish from one another, but this one is relatively easy ... having a flattened stem that you cannot role between your fingers. The Flatstem Spikerush is a rare plant in West Virginia, found growing in the cracks and crevices of reverside sandstone bedrock that occasionally receives scouring by the heavy force of rushing floodwaters. Known as river "flatrock" communities, these special habitats are often home to several other rare plant species as well.