Cumberland stitchwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cumberland stitchwort |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Minuartia
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| Species: |
cumberlandensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Arenaria cumberlandensis |
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The Cumberland stitchwort (scientific name: Minuartia cumberlandensis) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the pink family. People also call it the Cumberland sandwort. This special plant grows only in a specific area called the Cumberland Plateau. This area is near the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in Tennessee and Kentucky.
This plant is unique because it lives only in cool, damp places. You can find it inside sandstone rock shelters, which are like small caves or overhangs. It grows on the moist, sandy ground inside these shelters, away from the rain or sun. There are only 27 known places where it grows in Tennessee and just one in Kentucky. Because it's so rare, the United States government has listed it as an endangered species. This means it is protected by law to help it survive.
Contents
What Does the Cumberland Stitchwort Look Like?
The Cumberland stitchwort is a small plant. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows in small clumps of stems.
Plant Features
- Stems: The green stems can grow up to 15 to 20 centimeters (about 6 to 8 inches) tall.
- Roots: It has thin, thread-like taproots that go deep into the ground.
- Leaves: The leaves are shiny green. They are long and narrow, shaped like a line or a spear. They can be up to 3 or 4 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) long.
- Flowers: The plant usually has one flower, or sometimes a small group of up to three flowers. Each flower has white petals that are very tiny, less than 6 millimeters (about a quarter of an inch) long. The flowers bloom during the summer months.
Why is This Plant in Danger?
The Cumberland stitchwort faces several dangers that threaten its survival. Most of these threats come from human activities.
Habitat Damage
The places where this plant lives are very special. They are cool, humid, and often dark.
- Recreational Activities: Activities like camping and rappelling (climbing down cliffs) can harm the plant's home. People might accidentally step on the plants or damage the delicate soil.
- Logging: When trees around the rock shelters are cut down (logging), it changes the environment. Removing trees lets more sunlight into the shelters. This makes the area warmer and drier, which is bad for the stitchwort. It needs cool, damp conditions to grow.
How Was This Plant Discovered?
Scientists first officially described the Cumberland stitchwort in 1979. Before that, some plants found in the area were thought to be another species called Minuartia groenlandica.
A New Discovery
However, when scientists looked closely at these plants, they realized they didn't quite match the description of Minuartia groenlandica. They also didn't match any other known plant species. This led them to discover that it was a completely new and unique species, which they named Minuartia cumberlandensis.
