Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide

by Lauren Brown, Ted Elliman, Jerry Jenkins (Foreword by)

Overview

A portable, practical and expertly illustrated field guide to over one hundred grasses, sedges, and rushes—winner of 2020 Library Journal Best Reference Pick of the Year in the Science & Technology category
 
“No one will be able to claim that the identification of grasses, sedges, and rushes . . . are simply ‘too difficult’ after they have learned to use this excellent guide.”—Peter Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden
 
This elegant and easy‑to‑use guide is an updated and amended revision of Lauren Brown’s seminal Grasses: An Identification Guide, which was first published in 1979. While maintaining the spirit and goals of the original edition—a portable, straightforward, and user‑friendly guide for naturalists and plant enthusiasts—the new edition features more than one hundred grasses, sedges, and rushes that are presented with line drawings and color photographs, concise descriptions, and details on the uses of various plants throughout history.  
 
In addition, the authors are careful to highlight the subtle differences in similar species to avoid confusion, as well as offering relevant notes on plant survival strategies, invasiveness, and how different plants fit within the broader ecological landscape. Devoid of technical jargon, this volume is an indispensable tool for those curious about the often‑overlooked grasses, sedges, and rushes that surround us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300236774
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	08/18/2020
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	419,734
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.89(d)

About the Author

Lauren Brown is a botanist whose previous books include Grasses: An Identification Guide, Weeds in Winter, and Grasslands. Ted Elliman worked for many years for Native Plant Trust (formerly New England Wildflower Society) and is the author of Wildflowers of New England.

Editorial Reviews

"A classic in the nature field-guide genre."—Library Journal, Starred Review

“Brown’s meticulous drawings are instructive, and clear color photographs round out the visual information. This practical, up-to-date guide will help you get to know a plant category that is often frustrating.”—Kathy Connolly, Sound

"Devoid of technical jargon, this volume is an indispensable tool for those curious about the often-overlooked grasses, sedges, and rushes that surround us."—Northeastern Naturalist

"The user will never again claim that 'grasses all look alike.'"—Marilandica

Winner of 2020 Library Journal Best Reference Pick of the Year in the Science & Technology category

“No one will be able to claim that the identification of grasses, sedges, and rushes, which are of fundamental importance both environmentally and economically, are simply ‘too difficult’ after they have learned to use this excellent guide.”—Peter Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden

“Brown’s homey and friendly illustrations, in combination with clear diagnostic photos, make for an important book that can be an entryway into the world of grasses.”—Bryan Connolly, Framingham State University

“A significant aid and resource for those of us seeking to deepen our understanding of the tremendous diversity of plant life on this miraculous planet.”—Ted Watt, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Amherst MA
 

"Lauren Brown's Grasses: An Identification Guide is a trusted resource I've known for decades. It is wonderful to see a natural history masterpiece updated so beautifully. Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide will take an honored place among my core reference books."—Patrick Lynch, author of A Field Guide to Cape Cod

“The classic practical guide to some of most ubiquitous – but most overlooked – of all the plants around us.”—Peter Crane, author of Ginkgo: The Tree that Time Forgot

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2020

A classic in the nature field-guide genre gets refreshed 41 years after original publication. Readers familiar with the older book will be pleased to know that Brown's (Weeds in Winter) labeled drawings still provide apt instruction and that its general organization by plants' visual similarity remains, as do its other identification tools. Likewise, distribution of plant species again includes Northeastern and some Midwestern states. So what's changed? Most notably, Brown has a coauthor in Elliman (Wildflowers of New England), and the book now features color photographs, plant common names, updated scientific ones, expanded general notes, and a few new species (totaling 141). Identification can be tricky, but the authors take special care with their intended audience of novices—decision trees, glossaries, diagrammatic explanation of grasses' tiny flowers, and a brief introduction to the ecology and history of American grasslands all provide paths into a complex subject. There are memorable field-drawn diagnostics and homespun observations offered for many species: The difference between tussock sedge and broom-like sedge, for example, is that the latter is "more stable for jumping." VERDICT The question is not whether or not selectors should purchase (they should); it's where to shelve it (reference or circulating?). Probably the latter—this little gem needs to be close at hand in field, in marsh, or wherever the grasses, sedges, and rushes may be.—Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Library Journal