Austrostipa crinita facts for kids

Austrostipa crinita is a type of grass found along the coast in the middle-west part of Western Australia. It's also known as a spear grass.

What Does Austrostipa crinita Look Like?

This grass grows in clumps, like a small bush. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. Each clump can grow to be about 40 to 70 centimeters tall. That's roughly the height of a two-liter soda bottle!

Its flowers can be either yellow or brown. This grass can make copies of itself without needing seeds. It does this using short underground stems called rhizomes. Rhizomes are like special roots that grow sideways and can sprout new plants.

How Was This Grass Named?

The first time this grass was collected was in Shark Bay, Western Australia. This happened during an expedition led by Louis de Freycinet. The botanist on the trip, Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré, found it.

In 1829, Gaudichaud-Beaupré officially named it Stipa crinita. This name was used for a long time. However, in 1996, scientists decided that many Australian Stipa grasses were unique enough to have their own group. So, they created a new group called Austrostipa. This grass, along with others, was then moved into the new Austrostipa group.

Where Does Austrostipa crinita Grow?

You can find Austrostipa crinita in coastal areas of middle-west Western Australia. It likes to grow in sand and on limestone rocks. It even grows on islands off the coast, like those in the Houtman Abrolhos group.