But, Tom, most of what see in the wild as "grass" are in fact sedges! In fact, I bought the "Field Guide to the Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes of the Northern United States by Edward Knobel ($5 at Amazon.com makes for an interesting stocking stuffer) so I could start to learn to ID them. Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to do so. Plus it's not the best guide for field work as most of the distinguising features involve the shape of the seed head and/or seed itself. But it does have a decent key and provides some basic info on the subject and for $5 it's a good buy.

I have a collection of my favorite fields guides that I've collected and haul with me on every campout in a big tool tote. (I also have misc. stuff such as plaster and cardboard strips for animal track casts). I'll take the time in the next month or two and compile my "recommend reading" list for nature guides and pass it on to the forum.

But I can unequivically recommend all of the "finder" series of pocket books. Visit the Nuture Study Guild Publishers. My mom gave me a copy of Tree Finder back in the '60s and it is the easiest tree identification book I have ever seen. And it sells for only $3.50!