Grass, Rush or Sedge?

Rushes and sedges are superficially similar to grasses. In this article I describe how to tell by brief inspection whether a plant is a true grass, a rush, or a sedge. I also discuss the meanings of the related terms reed, cane and bulrush, so that you can correctly use all these terms in your dictionary work. Pipeworts, yet another kind of plant associated with aquatic environments, also receive a brief mention.