Maritime quillwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maritime quillwort |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Isoetes
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| Species: |
maritima
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| Synonyms | |
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Isoetes maritima, also known as the maritime quillwort, is a special type of plant. It belongs to the quillwort family, called Isoetaceae. This plant is found in parts of North America, like Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington state.
Contents
About the Maritime Quillwort
Quillworts are unique plants that look a bit like grass or small rushes. They are not true ferns, but they are related to them. They often grow in water or very wet places.
What Does It Look Like?
The maritime quillwort has between eight and fifteen dark green leaves. These leaves stand up straight and are quite stiff. Each leaf is about two to five centimeters long (that's like 1 to 2 inches) and only about 1.5 millimeters wide.
Spores and Reproduction
This plant reproduces using tiny spores, not seeds. It has small, oval-shaped parts called sporangia, which hold the spores. These sporangia are about four millimeters long and are hard to see.
The plant produces two types of spores:
- Microspores: These are tiny, kidney-shaped spores. They are white and about 30-36 micrometers long.
- Megaspores: These are larger, round spores. They are also white and about 490-670 micrometers across.
Where Does It Grow?
The maritime quillwort was first found near tidal flats in British Columbia. Because of this, people thought it only grew near the coast or ocean. This is why it was given the name "maritima," which means "of the sea."
However, scientists later found this plant growing in fresh-water lakes and streams. So, its name "maritime quillwort" is a bit misleading! It can live in both coastal areas and inland fresh water.
How Is It Different from Other Quillworts?
The maritime quillwort is similar to another species called I. echinospora. The main difference is in their megaspores.
- I. maritima has blunt spines and crests on its megaspores.
- I. echinospora has sharp, thin spines on its megaspores.
Most other types of quillworts in this group do not have spines on their megaspores at all. This makes I. maritima quite special!
