Grasses Chinochloa flavicans One of my first tasks at Dean's Nursery was pricking out grasses. Chinochloas, Carexes, Sedges, Festuca, Poa.... I did not know how many different grasses there was until then. To give you an idea: Chinochloa rubra (Red Tussock), Chinochloa flavicans (ToeToe), Chinochloa cheesemanii and many more Carex testacea, Carex comans, Carex secta, Carex buchananii, Carex dispacea... well it would take me forever to list them as the genus has more than 2000 species! Apparently there is even a study called caricology. All grasses are Monocts and perennials and belong to the family Cyperaceae also known as Segdes. Carex is considered a true Sedge. New Zealands grasslands is mostly covered by tussocks. There are around 190 native grasses. Next time you to the Tablelands try figure out which grasses are growing there. Or look around gardens, as many grasses are loved and used by Landscapers.