Acadia National Park - Grasses

About a quarter of the plants that one encounters at Acadia National Park appear "grass-like." The amateur would probably call all of these grasses, but in fact some are sedges and some are rushes. Here is a little rhyme to help tell the three apart: "sedges have edges, rushes are round, and grasses have joints." Sedges usually have a triangular stem, rushes have round stems, and grasses have a jointed stem. Sedges, grasses and rushes often inhabit wet areas. All of them have flowers; they just aren"t showy. Take a closer look and you will be amazed at the diversity of these wind-pollinated wildflowers!