Mohlenbrock's umbrella sedge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mohlenbrock's umbrella sedge |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyperus
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| Species: |
grayoides
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Cyperus grayoides, also known as Illinois flatsedge or Mohlenbrock's umbrella sedge, is a type of sedge. Sedges are grass-like plants. This plant is special because it is endemic to the United States. This means it only grows naturally in this country. You can find it from Illinois through Missouri and Arkansas to Texas and Louisiana.
Contents
About Mohlenbrock's Umbrella Sedge
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows from a network of tubers and rhizomes under the ground. These parts help the plant spread. It forms clumps of stems that are shaped like triangles. These stems can grow to be about 35 to 48 centimeters tall.
What It Looks Like
The leaves of Mohlenbrock's umbrella sedge are a gray-green color. They can grow up to 25 centimeters long. The plant's flowers grow in a special cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster has several round spikes. Each spike contains many small flower parts called spikelets.
Where It Grows
This plant likes to grow in sandy places. You can find it in dunes, which are hills of sand. It also grows in sandy prairies, which are large areas of grassland. Sometimes, you might even see it growing along roadsides. This plant is very good at living in places where the ground is often moved around by wind or erosion. It is adapted to these natural changes.
Why It Needs Protection
Even though this plant can be common in the places it grows, its home is in danger. New buildings and other changes to the land threaten its habitat. The plant also needs natural events like fires to keep its habitat healthy. When these fires don't happen, it can harm the plant. Animals eating the plants and sand mining (taking sand from the ground) are also problems for Mohlenbrock's umbrella sedge.
See also
In Spanish: Cyperus grayioides para niños
