Sawgrass is an important sedge in the gulf states and some Caribbean islands. A single plant stem can grow up to ten feet tall with much of the plant's height made up of the long thin leaves. The coarse leaves are less than a half inch wide and are serrated along their edges. The saw like nature of the leaves has given rise to the common name of this plant. In the Everglades of Florida Cladium jamaicense forms large monocultures that are largely avoided by humans since the leaves can easily slice through human flesh.