Sedges Have Edges
Bozeman, Montana
2022
At one point a few years ago I took it on myself to try and learn the names and distinguishing characteristics of all the grass and grass-like plants that grow around our cabin. I soon discovered that identifying specific species can be very, very hard and I mostly have given up. I did learn a useful mnemonic though:
Sedges have edges,
Rushes are round,
Grasses have nodes from the top to the ground
An easy way to identify a sedge is to roll the plant stem between the fingers. If it has obvious edges to it, it is a sedge. Based on this information, I’m confident in declaring that this photo is of some sedges growing around the edge of our pond a few months ago. Beyond that I’d be mostly guessing if I claimed to know the specific type of sedge. But at this point in winter when we’ve already been inundated with snow, it’s just fine to appreciate this image without getting all scientific about it.
I like that mnemonic! What are the nodes referred to for grasses?
I cant say I know for sure. Apparently my specific knowledge about this stuff pretty much ends at the edges of sedges!