Sedge
Botanical name: Cyperaceae
Sedge
Botanical name: Cyperaceae
Species of Sedge
True sedges
True sedges are a vast genus containing over 2000 grasses often growing in tufted mounds found in a variety of temperate climates. These plants are cultivated ornamentally for their variegated foliage and attractiveness. Sedge seeds provide forage while the foliage provides shelter and nesting sites for animals.
Gymnoschoenus
Carpha
Nutrushes
Sawsedge
Bogrushes
Fimbry
Saw-sedge
Umbrella-sedge
Bulrush
Giant bulrush
Twigrush
Hypolytrum
Hypolytrum contains approximately 60-70 species, native to tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America and various oceanic islands.
Dulichium
The dulichium genus contains only one species, Dulichium arundinaceum. Native to North America, these freshwater herbaceous perennials are often located in shallow water. Dulichium may be identified by their alternate leaves which spiral the stem in a cycle; making it look as though the plants have three columns when viewed from above.
Ficinia
Ficinia is a genus of tufted or rhizomatous sedges. The genus includes about 74 species.
Bulbostylis
Bulbostylis have solid, rounded, grooved stems and long, thin basal leaves. They bear spikelets of flowers. There are over 200 species of these clump-forming plants of dry grasslands and warm and tropical savannas worldwide.
Bulrush
The cosmopolitan, grass-like bulrush plants tend to flourish in damp conditions, often being found close to or in standing water. These evergreen perennials are popularly used for ponds or water gardens, providing shelter and a food source for wildfowl. Traditionally, some species were woven into baskets, mats, and even homes.
Eleocharis
Eleocharis are perennial or annual herbs that are most frequently found in wetlands, with some species specifically cultivated as ornamentals for aquatic gardens. The common name Spikerushes originates from bract-like spikelets that are characteristic of most species of this genus.
Nutgrasses
Nutgrasses comprise a large, cosmopolitan, and diverse group of sedges. They grow in still or slow-moving water and produce small green flowers. Many species are ecologically important, serving as food sources for insects, birds, and mammals alike. Various species of nutgrasses have been used in making various products such as paper, mats, and sombreros. Some species are grown as ornamentals in pots and containers.
Chrysitrix
Hellmuthia
Oreobolus
Erioscirpus
Schoenoplectiella
Calliscirpus
Fen-sedges
Fen-sedges is a plant which characterized by long, narrow leaves having sharp, often serrated (sawtooth-like) margins, and flowering stems bearing a much-branched inflorescence. Like many plants found in wet habitats, it has deeply buried rhizomes that can produce tall shoots with dense canopies. At present, three species are accepted by Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, one having four subspecies. The genus has a nearly worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions.
Beak-rushes
Found on all temperate continents and in the form of several hundred separate species, beak-rushes are so similar in appearance that analysis of mature fruits is often required to pinpoint an exact identity. They typically prefer moist acidic soils and are widespread in their native savannah grasslands and marshes.
Lepidosperma
Lepidosperma is a genus of flowering plant of the family Cyperaceae. Most of the species are endemic to Australia, with others native to southern China, southeast Asia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
Deergrasses
Deergrasses is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae.
Isolepis
Isolepis is a cosmopolitan genus of sedge containing around 70 species. Isolepis is found in cool tropical and temperate climates often in Africa and Australasia.
Tetraria
Tetraria is native to Tanzania, South Africa, Borneo, Australia and New Zealand. Tetraria are perennial herbs, with generally few nodes. The leaves are conspicuously sheathed with flat or incurved blades. The inflorescence is usually a narrow panicle, with the flowers being bisexual, the lower flowers being male, and there are generally three stamens and three stigmas. The fruit (a nutlet) is generally trigonous and often retains its style as a beak or crown.
Bulrushes
Bulrushes thrive in aquatic habitats. They can be found in many countries across their European and African range and also occur as introduced species in parts of North America. These plants are useful additions to wildlife gardens and watersides since their nectar and pollen attracts bees and other pollinating insects to the garden.
Club-rushes
Club-rushes are foliage plants that are popularly cultivated for ponds and water gardens. These grass-like evergreen perennials provide an interesting aesthetic with their flower-topped strands arching over. Club-rushes species are hardy slow-growers that can be used for ground cover.
Bolboschoenus
Growing in clumps in moist, disturbed soil, bolboschoenus are attractive grasses that spread by seeds produced at the top of long, slender stalks. They are often planted along water gardens to help prevent soil erosion. Their mounding growth habit and profusion of seeds provide food and shelter for local wildlife.
Cotton-grass
Cotton-grass are a widespread genus of sedge grasses. The tops of the grass or seed heads are surrounded by fluffy, cotton-like fibers that work to insulate the seeds and spread them in the wind, which is why they're frequently called "Cotton-grass." These fibers are utilized in the production of paper, candles, pillow stuffing, and more. The leaves, once dried, have been used to weave mats and covers.
Scientific Classification
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