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Grasses, Sedges & Rushes

Grasses are wildflowers too but their flowers do not need to be showy to attract the birds and the bees because they are pollinated by the wind. They are very diverse and have their own beauty. Although often the dominant plant in a habitat and so important as a food source for mankind and animals, they are easily overlooked. These plants belong to the Grass, Sedge and Rush families. Grasses have round, hollow stems and they are the only family to have joints in their stems, sedges have solid, triangular stems and rushes have solid, round stems. These are common species that can be identified with the naked eye.
Spartina gracilis
Alkali Cordgrass
Spartina gracilis
Glyceria grandis
American Manna Grass
Glyceria grandis
Beckmannia syzigachne
American Slough Grass
Beckmannia syzigachne
Polypogon monspeliensis
Annual Rabbitsfoot Grass
Polypogon monspeliensis
Hordeum spp.
Barley(2)
Hordeum spp.
Echinochloa spp.
Barnyard Grass(2)
Echinochloa spp.
Poa spp.
Bluegrass(4)
Poa spp.
Calamagrostis canadensis
Bluejoint
Calamagrostis canadensis
Bothriochloa spp.
Bluestem(4)
Bothriochloa spp.
Setaria spp.
Bristlegrass(2)
Setaria spp.
Bromus spp.
Brome(5)
Bromus spp.
Buchloe & Munroa
Buffalo Grass(2)
Buchloe & Munroa
Schoenoplectus spp.
Bulrush(3)
Schoenoplectus spp.
Typha spp.
Cattail(3)
Typha spp.
Paspalum dilatatum
Dallisgrass
Paspalum dilatatum
Sporobolus spp.
Dropseed(3)
Sporobolus spp.
Festuca spp.
Fescue(3)
Festuca spp.
Cyperus esculentus
Flatsedge(3)
Cyperus spp.
Alopecurus spp.
Foxtail(3)
Alopecurus spp.
Pleuraphis jamesii
Galleta
Pleuraphis jamesii
Sorghum bicolor
Grain Sorghum
Sorghum bicolor
Bouteloua spp.
Grama Grass(4)
Bouteloua spp.
Sorghastrum nutans
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Achnatherum hymenoides
Indian Ricegrass
Achnatherum hymenoides
Aegilops cylindrica
Jointed Goatgrass
Aegilops cylindrica
Koeleria macrantha
Junegrass
Koeleria macrantha
Schizachyrium scoparium
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scop.
Eragrostis cilianensis
Lovegrass
Eragrostis cilianensis
Dasyochloa pulchella
Low Woollygrass
Dasyochloa pulchella
Muhlenbergia spp.
Muhly(5)
Muhlenbergia spp.
Hesperostipa spp.
Needlegrass(2)
Hesperostipa spp.
Puccinellia nuttalliana
Nuttall's Alkaligrass
Puccinellia nuttalliana
Danthonia spp.
Oatgrass(2)
Danthonia spp.
Dactylis glomerata
Orchard Grass
Dactylis glomerata
Panicum spp.
Panic Grass(2)
Panicum spp.
Phalaris arundinacea
Reed Canary Grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Juncus spp.
Rush(9)
Juncus spp.
Cenchrus longispinus
Sandbur
Cenchrus longispinus
Distichlis spicata
Saltgrass
Distichlis spicata
Equisetum spp.
Scouring Rush(3)
Equisetum spp.
Carex spp.
Sedge(12)
Carex spp.
Bouteloua curtipendula
Side-oats Grama
Bouteloua curti.
Vulpia octoflora
Sixweek Fescue
Vulpia octoflora
Luzula parviflora
SmallfloweredWoodrush
Luzula parviflora
Trisetum spicatum
Spike Trisetum
Trisetum spicatum
Eleocharis spp.
Spikerush(2)
Eleocharis spp.
Elymus longifolius
Squirreltail
Elymus longifolius
Aristida spp.
Three-Awn(2)
Aristida spp.
Schoenoplectus pungens
Three Square
Schoenoplectus p.
Phleum spp.
Timothy(2)
Phleum spp.
Agropyron & Elymus spp.
Wheatgrass(8)
Agropyron & Elymus
Elymus spp.
Wild Rye(2)
Elymus spp.
Chloris spp.
Windmill Grass(2)
Chloris spp.