Herbs generally of wet and marshy sites often with a creeping rhizome. Stems generally 3 side and solid. The leaves are long and narrow with closed sheaths. Flowers are either perfect or unisexual with no sepals or petals, their places being taken by bristles or scales (perigynia). This family is very large and complex, additions and changes to species names are quite common.
Note: Because of the nature of this family it is (and has been) under taxanomic review over the last several years. There may be changes to the genera and certainly to the specific species in some genera.
Genera found in Manitoba:
Carex Cladium Cyperus Dulichium Eleocharis Eriophorum Kobresia Rhynchospora Scirpus