Speargrass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Speargrass |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Piptochaetium sp. | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Supertribe: | Stipodae |
| Tribe: | Stipeae |
| Genus: | Piptochaetium J.Presl |
| Type species | |
| Piptochaetium setifolium (syn of P. panicoides) J.Presl
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Piptochaetium, also known as speargrass, is a group of plants found in the New World (North and South America). These plants belong to the grass family. Speargrass plants grow in clumps, which means they are a type of bunchgrass. They are part of a larger group of grasses called the Stipeae tribe.
Some types of speargrass were once thought to be part of another plant group called Stipa.
What is Speargrass?
Speargrass is a kind of grass that grows in many different places. It gets its name because some of its seeds or leaves might look a bit like tiny spears. These plants are important parts of many ecosystems. They provide food and shelter for various animals.
Where Speargrass Grows
You can find different kinds of speargrass all over North and South America. They grow in many countries, from the United States and Mexico in the north to Argentina, Chile, and Brazil in the south.
Examples of Speargrass Species
There are many different species (types) of Piptochaetium. Here are a few examples and where they grow:
- Piptochaetium avenaceum is also called black oatgrass. It grows in the United States, from Texas to Florida, and as far north as Massachusetts. You can also find it in Ontario, Canada.
- Piptochaetium fimbriatum is known as pinyon ricegrass. It grows in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala.
- Piptochaetium montevidense is found in many South American countries. These include Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Peru.
- Piptochaetium panicoides grows in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. It is also found in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
- Piptochaetium stipoides is called purple speargrass. It is native to Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. It has also started growing in Mexico and California.
See also
In Spanish: Piptochaetium para niños
