Antarctic pearlwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antarctic pearlwort |
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| Antarctic pearlwort at St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Colobanthus
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| Species: |
quitensis
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Colobanthus quitensis, also known as the Antarctic pearlwort, is a special plant. It's one of only two types of flowering plants that naturally grow in the super cold Antarctic region. This tiny plant has bright yellow flowers and usually grows only about 5 cm (or two inches) tall. It grows in a way that looks like a soft, green cushion, almost like a moss.
Where Antarctic Pearlwort Grows
The Antarctic pearlwort can be found in several places. You can see it on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It also grows on South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands, and the Falkland Islands.
Beyond these islands, it lives in the Andes mountains. It becomes less common as you go north, but it reaches as far as Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. There's even a separate group of these plants found in Mexico.
How Climate Change Affects It
In Antarctica, the world is getting warmer because of climate change. This warming means more seeds of the Antarctic pearlwort are growing. This creates many new plants and seedlings.
Scientists have seen a huge increase in these plants, sometimes five times more than before. They are also spreading to new areas further south and covering larger spaces wherever they grow. Research shows that the Antarctic pearlwort spread almost ten times faster between 2009 and 2018 compared to the period from 1960 to 2009.
The only other native flowering plant in the Antarctic region is called Deschampsia antarctica, or Antarctic hairgrass.
See also
In Spanish: Colobanthus quitensis para niños
