Elytrophorus spicatus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elytrophorus spicatus |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Elytrophorus
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| Species: |
spicatus
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| Occurrence data from GBIF | |
| Synonyms | |
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Dactylis spicata Willd. |
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Elytrophorus spicatus is a small plant often called spikegrass. It belongs to the Poaceae family, which is the grass family. You can find this plant growing naturally in many parts of the world. These areas include Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
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What is Spikegrass Like?
Spikegrass is a type of grass that grows in clumps. It can be an annual plant, meaning it lives for only one year. Or, it can be a perennial plant, which means it lives for many years. Its stems, called culms, can feel a bit rough.
The leaves of spikegrass wrap loosely around the stem. When the leaves are still young, their blades are rolled up tightly. The plant produces a long flower spike. This spike can grow up to 26 centimeters (about 10 inches) long. It is about 5 to 9 millimeters wide.
This flower spike is made up of many tiny, round clusters of flowers. Each cluster is called a spikelet. These spikelets are small, only about 4 millimeters long. They contain flowers that have both male and female parts. This means they can produce seeds on their own.
The flowers have special protective leaves called glumes. These glumes are about 2 to 3 millimeters long. They have short, bristle-like tips. The edges of the glumes are thin and clear, and they have a few hairs. The plant usually flowers after there has been a lot of rain or flooding.
Where Does Spikegrass Grow?
Spikegrass is found in many countries around the world. In Africa, it grows in places like Benin, Botswana, and Ethiopia. It is also found in parts of Asia, including China, India, and Thailand. In Australia, you can find it in areas like South Australia.
Some of the specific countries where spikegrass is native include:
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Chad
- China
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Hainan
- India
- Ivory Coast
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
It also grows in the East Himalaya and the wider Himalaya region.
What is the Habitat of Spikegrass?
Spikegrass prefers to grow in wet or damp places. You can often find it in moist soil along the banks of creeks. It also grows in damp hollows, which are low areas where water collects. Sometimes, it is found in areas where water seeps out of the ground. It can even grow in and near water.
How Spikegrass Got its Name
The spikegrass plant was first described by a scientist named Carl Ludwig Willdenow in 1801. He gave it the name Dactylis spicata. Later, in 1923, another scientist named Aimée Antoinette Camus moved it to a different group of plants. She placed it in the genus Elytrophorus, which is how it got its current scientific name, Elytrophorus spicatus.
