Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes

These three groups are listed together for ease of identification, as they are all grass-like in appearance. Though this site groups them separately from the other vascular flowering plants, they are actually vascular and do produce their own kind of flower.

The following rhyme can help identify in which category a grass-like species belongs:

'Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have knees that bend to the ground.'

The 'knees' of grasses are joint-like nodes found along round, hollow stems. The stems of sedges and rushes are solid; in cross-section the stems of rushes are round, while those of sedges are triangular and so have edges.

Also listed here are other vascular plant species that may appear grass-like at certain times of the year.

Jump to: Grasses • Sedges • Rushes