How are sedges in the Cyperaceae family different from grasses?

While sedges (Cyperaceae) and grasses (Poaceae) are often confused due to their similar appearance, they can be distinguished by several key morphological differences:

• Stems: Sedges typically have solid, triangular stems, whereas grass stems are never triangular and are usually hollow except at the nodes.12
• Leaf Arrangement: Sedges exhibit tristichous phyllotaxy, meaning their leaves are arranged in three vertical rows (developing at 120-degree intervals). Grasses have distichous leaves arranged in two vertical rows on opposite sides of the stem.12
• Leaf Sheaths: In grasses, leaf margins overlap when they encircle the stem. In sedges, the leaf margins fuse together.1
• Floral Structure: In sedge spikelets, each individual flower is subtended by a single scale. In contrast, grass flowers are usually subtended by two scales.1

Additionally, sedges and grasses differ in their cellular characteristics, such as chromosome structure and pollen development, further distinguishing these two distinct plant families.1