Soft twig rush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Soft twig rush |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Machaerina
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| Species: |
rubiginosa
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Machaerina rubiginosa, also known as soft twig rush, flat leaf twig rush, or common twig rush, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the sedge family, called Cyperaceae. This plant naturally grows in parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean region.
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About the Soft Twig Rush Plant
The soft twig rush is a strong plant that looks a lot like grass. It is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It also has rhizomes, which are underground stems that help it spread.
This plant can grow quite tall, reaching up to 4 metres (13.1 ft) high. It can also spread out to about 2 m (6.6 ft) wide. The soft twig rush produces brown flowers. These flowers usually appear between August and March.
Plant Stems and Flowers
The stems of the soft twig rush are called culms. They are stiff and round, with two slightly curved sides. These culms are smooth and have no hairs, which is called being glabrous. They can be 20 to 110 centimetres (0.7 to 3.6 ft) long and 1 to 5 millimetres (0.04 to 0.20 in) thick.
The plant's flowers grow in a narrow, upright cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster looks like a broken oblong shape. The flower clusters are dense and can be 7 to 20 cm (2.8 to 7.9 in) long. They are about 1 to 2.5 cm (0.39 to 0.98 in) wide.
After the plant flowers, it produces small fruits. These fruits are called nuts and are shaped like an ellipsoid (like an oval) or an obovoid (like an egg, but wider at the top). They are pale red-brown to bright orange. The nuts are smooth, but their very tip is covered in stiff hairs, which is called being hispid. Each nut is about 2.2 to 4 mm (0.09 to 0.16 in) long and 1.2 to 2 mm (0.05 to 0.08 in) wide.
Where Soft Twig Rush Grows
The soft twig rush is found in many places across Australia. It grows in swamps and along the edges of lakes and streams. You can often see it in coastal areas.
In Western Australia, it grows in regions like the Mid West, Wheatbelt, Peel, South West, Great Southern, and Goldfields-Esperance. It likes damp, silty-sandy soils. This plant is also found in other Australian states, including Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory.
Habitat Conditions
The soft twig rush has upright leaves and spreading rhizomes. This allows it to form large, thick patches in wet areas. It can even grow in soils that don't have many nutrients. It can also grow in water up to 50 centimetres (1.6 ft) deep.
The plant tends to grow taller in places that are always wet. In areas where the water comes and goes (called ephemeral environments), it usually stays shorter. Because it can grow well in wet conditions, it is a good plant to use in man-made wetlands.
