Arizona cottontop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arizona cottontop |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Digitaria
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| Species: |
californica
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| Synonyms | |
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List
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Digitaria californica, also known as Arizona cottontop, is a type of grass. You can find this plant growing naturally in many parts of the Americas. It lives in the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Arizona Cottontop Grass
What It Looks Like
Arizona cottontop is a perennial grass. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows in a clump, with stems that can reach up to one meter (about 3 feet) tall.
The roots of this grass can go deep into the ground, sometimes as far as one meter. It does not have rhizomes or stolons. These are special stems that some plants use to spread underground or along the surface.
The leaves of the Arizona cottontop are usually short and thin. The parts of the plant that wrap around the stems, called leaf sheaths, can be very fuzzy or woolly.
The plant's flowers grow in a dense, narrow cluster called a panicle. This panicle holds pairs of small, woolly-haired seed structures called spikelets.
Where It Grows
This grass can grow in many different places. It is found in dry areas like desert scrub and shrublands. It also grows in shrubsteppes and savannas.
In the desert, you might see it growing under mesquite trees. It likes these spots because the soil there has more nutrients.
Arizona cottontop is very good at handling different amounts of rain. It can easily survive in drought conditions. When there is not enough water, it becomes dormant, which means it stops growing. But as soon as it rains again, it starts to grow quickly. Most of its growth happens in the summer after the spring and summer rains.
How It Helps Animals
This type of grass is a favorite food for livestock like cattle. It can handle a lot of grazing by animals. However, it does not do well if animals eat too much of it, which is called overgrazing.
See also
In Spanish: Digitaria californica para niños
