Giles' flat-sedge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Giles' flat-sedge |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyperus
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| Species: |
gilesii
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Giles' flat-sedge (its scientific name is Cyperus gilesii) is a type of plant called a sedge. It belongs to the Cyperaceae family, which is a group of grass-like plants. This plant grows naturally in Australia.
Contents
What Does Giles' Flat-Sedge Look Like?
Giles' flat-sedge can be an annual plant (meaning it lives for one year) or a perennial plant (meaning it lives for more than two years). It grows in thin, bushy clumps.
The plant has smooth, stem-like parts called culms. These culms are usually shaped like a triangle (trigonous) or have three sharp edges (triquetrous). They typically grow between 10 to 35 centimeters (about 4 to 14 inches) tall. Each culm is quite thin, about 0.8 to 2 millimeters wide.
The leaves of this sedge are shorter than its culms. They are about 4.5 millimeters wide. These leaves have small divisions inside them, which can feel bumpy.
Flowers and Fruit
Giles' flat-sedge blooms in spring and summer. Its flowers grow in simple groups called inflorescences. These groups can have one to five branches, each up to 6 centimeters long.
The flower clusters are dense and shaped like a half-sphere or a ball. They can be up to 50 millimeters wide. Around the flowers, there are one to three leaf-like parts called bracts.
Each cluster has many flattened spikelets. A spikelet is a small group of flowers. These spikelets are 10 to 30 millimeters long and 2.5 to 4.5 millimeters wide. They contain 8 to 34 flowers, which are golden-brown to reddish-brown.
After the plant flowers, it forms a small fruit called a nut. This nut is shaped like a narrow, three-sided oval. It is reddish-brown to grayish-brown in color. The nuts are 2.0 to 5.0 millimeters long and 0.3 to 1.0 millimeter wide.
How It Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described by a botanist named George Bentham in 1878. He wrote about it in his book Flora Australiensis.
The plant's specific name, gilesii, honors an explorer named William Ernest Powell Giles. He led five big trips across central Australia, exploring the land.
Where Does Giles' Flat-Sedge Grow?
Cyperus gilesii can be found all over Australia. It is very common in Queensland, northern South Australia, northern New South Wales, and the eastern parts of the Northern Territory. In Western Australia, it is much rarer and only grows in the Pilbara region.
This sedge often grows in places that are wet for only a short time. These include the banks of inland streams and rivers, floodplains, and even roadside drains.
