Flora of South Georgia facts for kids

South Georgia is a cool island in the subantarctic Atlantic Ocean. It's part of a British territory called South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. This island is home to many plants, which scientists call flora.

There are two main types of plants on South Georgia:

• Native plants: These are plants that naturally grew on the island long before people arrived. South Georgia has 26 native plant species.
• Introduced plants: These are plants that were brought to the island by humans, often by accident. There are 76 recorded species of introduced plants. Many of these introduced plants grow in areas where people used to live or work, like old sealing and whaling stations.

Native Plants of South Georgia

Native plants are super important because they are part of the island's natural ecosystem. They have adapted to the island's cold and windy weather.

Spore-Producing Plants

Some plants don't make seeds. Instead, they reproduce using tiny things called spores, similar to how mushrooms spread. These include ferns and mosses.

Seed Plants

Most plants you know are seed plants. They make seeds to grow new plants. On South Georgia, these include grasses and flowering plants.

Introduced Plant Species

Introduced species are plants that were brought to South Georgia by people. Sometimes this was on purpose, but often it was by accident, like seeds clinging to clothes or equipment. These plants can sometimes compete with native species.

Introduced Plants Still Growing Today

These are the introduced plants that have managed to survive and grow on South Georgia. They are considered "locally present."

Introduced Plants No Longer Found

Some introduced plants were recorded on South Georgia in the past but are not seen there anymore. This means they are "locally extinct" on the island.

See also

In Spanish: Flora de la isla San Pedro (Georgia del Sur) para niños