Colobanthus muscoides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colobanthus muscoides |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| With Disphyma papillatum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Colobanthus
|
| Species: |
muscoides
|
Colobanthus muscoides is a small, green plant that looks a lot like moss. It's a type of flowering plant called a cushion plant because it grows in dense, low clumps. You can find it on islands in the south-western Pacific Ocean, especially in very cold, windy places near the South Pole called the subantarctic region. Its name, muscoides, comes from Latin words meaning "moss-like," which perfectly describes how it grows!
What Does This Plant Look Like?
Colobanthus muscoides is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows as a thick mat or cushion. These cushions can be up to 25 centimetres (10 inches) thick. Sometimes, they can spread out several metres wide!
The plant has thin stems that branch out a lot. These stems can grow roots from unusual places, not just the bottom. Its leaves are long and narrow, like tiny lines. They are also a bit thick and juicy. Each leaf is about 3 to 5 millimetres long. That's about the size of a grain of rice!
Its tiny flowers grow at the ends of short shoots. They are often hidden by the leaves. The plant's cushion shape is made strong by its tightly packed roots, stems, and old leaf parts. This plant flowers from September to March. It then produces fruits from October to May.
Where Does This Plant Live?
You can find Colobanthus muscoides on several islands around New Zealand. These include the Chatham Islands, Snares, Antipodes, Auckland, and Campbell Islands. It also lives on Macquarie Island, which belongs to Australia.
This plant is very common in areas near the coast. It often forms large mats in wet, spongy areas called bogs. It also grows as cushions on peat (decayed plant matter), rocks, and sand. You'll often see it in places that get a lot of sea spray from the ocean.
