Cyperaceae

Cyperaceae, commonly known as the sedges, is a family of grass like, monocotyledonous flowering plants in the order Poales comprising about 5,500 described species across roughly 90 genera, with the genus Carex alone holding more than 2,000 species. Sedges are distinguished from true grasses by stems with triangular cross sections and leaves spirally arranged in three ranks, giving rise to the mnemonic sedges have edges. The family includes papyrus sedge, the source of ancient papyrus writing material, along with water chestnut, cotton grass, and sawgrass.