RUSHES AND HEDGES

My biology teacher Dr. Fat 

from Finland used to say:

Rrrrushes are rrround,

and sedges have hedges.
Tight, compact.
Easy to remember.

Someone says, 
I thought sedges 
had wedges!
That too works.

It's an open field 

when it comes to 
remembering the grasses.

We could add:

grasses have sheathes  

all the way to the ground

and knobby knees.
or
grasses are jointed, 
all the way
down to the ground
or 

Grasses, like asses,

have holes and grow

right down to the ground.

With all these variations,
no wonder I couldn't remember
the mnemonic memory aid for grasses.
Where is Mnemosyne when you need her?
I can't remember.

5/2/18

Frank Landis "sedges have edges and rushes are round, while..." There are two versions: "grasses like asses have holes," and "grasses are hollow and grow in the ground." I like the latter one. Even though it's not perfectly correct, it's the hint that the majority of sedges and rushes are aquatic, while the majority of grasses are upland species.

Dean Wm Taylor a poorly constructed parable offered to beginning students: sedges can be round and rushes can have edges...botany is exceptions, or or would be boring