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Webster 1913 Edition

Sedge

Sedge

,
Noun.
[OE.
segge
, AS.
secg
; akin to LG.
segge
; – probably named from its bladelike appearance, and akin to L.
secare
to cut, E.
saw
a cutting instrument; cf. Ir.
seisg
, W.
hesg
. Cf.
Hassock
,
Saw
the instrument.]
1.
(Bot.)
Any plant of the genus
Carex
, perennial, endogenous, innutritious herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species.
☞ The name is sometimes given to any other plant of the order
Cyperaceae
, which includes
Carex
,
Cyperus
,
Scirpus
, and many other genera of rushlike plants.
2.
(Zool.)
A flock of herons.
Sedge hen
(Zool.)
,
the clapper rail. See under 5th
Rail
.
–
Sedge warbler
(Zool.)
,
a small European singing bird (
Acrocephalus phragmitis
). It often builds its nest among reeds; – called also
sedge bird
,
sedge wren
,
night warbler
, and
Scotch nightingale
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sedge

SEDGE

,
Noun.
[L. seco, to cut; that is sword grass, like L. gladiolus.]
1. A narrow flag, or growth of such flags; called in the north of England, seg or sag.
2. In New England, a species of very coarse grass growing in swamps, and forming bogs or clumps.

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