sedge

noun

A perennial monocotyledonous plant with rhizomatous or creeping rootstocks, solid triangular stems, and grass-like leaves. Sedges belong to the genus Carex, with over 1,000 species widely distributed throughout the temperate, Arctic, and Antarctic regions of the world. The family Cyperaceae, to which they belong, contains over 4,000 species, some of which are referred to as reeds or even `grasses`. They have little ornamental or economic value, though C. arenaria, from Europe and Siberia, is useful for stabilizing loose sands and grows mostly on sea-shores. Sweet sedge, Acorus calamus, is a member of the arum family and is botanically unrelated to the true sedges.