Channel nut grass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Channel nut grass |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyperus
|
| Species: |
victoriensis
|
Cyperus victoriensis, also known as channel nut grass, is a type of grass-like plant called a sedge. It belongs to the plant family Cyperaceae. This plant is originally from Australia.
Contents
About Channel Nut Grass
Channel nut grass is a plant that grows year after year. It has special underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the plant spread and store food. The plant can grow to be about 0.6 to 1.0 meter (2 to 3 feet) tall.
What Does It Look Like?
The rhizomes of channel nut grass form small, woody, egg-shaped lumps. These lumps are about 5 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The main stems, called culms, are smooth and have three sides. They can be 30 to 100 centimeters (12 to 39 inches) long and about 3 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide.
The leaves of this plant are usually about half the length of the stems. They are narrow, about 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide.
How Does It Flower?
The plant produces a simple group of flowers called an inflorescence. This part has three to eight main branches. Each branch is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. They often bend down because of the weight of the small flower clusters.
These flower clusters are called spikes. They are egg-shaped and about 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide. Each spike has 3 to 15 flattened smaller clusters called spikelets. Each spikelet can have around 40 tiny flowers. After flowering, the plant forms a small, three-sided nut. These nuts are grey-brown to black. They are about 1.5 to 1.7 millimeters (0.06 to 0.07 inches) long.
Where Does It Grow?
Channel nut grass is found all over mainland Australia. It grows in many different states.
Western Australia
In Western Australia, you can find it along streams and creeks. It grows in the Kimberley region. It prefers sandy-clay soils there.
New South Wales
In New South Wales, this plant is common in most areas away from the coast. It often grows on floodplains. You can also see it on the banks of rivers and other inland waterways. It mostly likes clayey soils in these areas.
Victoria
Channel nut grass is also found in the northwestern part of Victoria. It grows from the mallee region all the way to the Riverina area.
