Rumex graminifolius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rumex graminifolius |
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| Grassleaf sorrel | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rumex
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| Species: |
graminifolius
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| Synonyms | |
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Acetosella graminifolia A.Löve |
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Rumex graminifolius, also known as grassleaf sorrel, is a type of plant found in cold, northern places. It belongs to the Rumex group and is part of the knotweed family called Polygonaceae.
Contents
What Grassleaf Sorrel Looks Like
Grassleaf sorrel is a thin plant that grows from about 10 to 50 centimeters tall. It has roots that stay close to the ground. Its stems are skinny, and its leaves are flat and pointy.
When you eat the leaves raw, they taste a bit bitter. The lower leaves can be 4 to 6 centimeters long. They have long stems called petioles. They also have a special part called an ocrea, which is like a sheath around the stem. The leaves higher up on the plant are part of the flowers. They often turn a bright reddish color.
This plant has flowers that grow in circles around the stem. They are reddish-green and bloom in late spring or summer.
Where Grassleaf Sorrel Grows
You can find grassleaf sorrel in very cold, arctic areas. It grows along the coasts of Northern North America, including Alaska, and in Northern Europe.
This plant can grow in different kinds of soil. It does well in soil that is acid, neutral, or basic. However, it likes soil that is moist the most. It can also grow in places with some shade or no shade at all.
How Animals Use Grassleaf Sorrel
Many types of butterfly and moth larvae eat grassleaf sorrel. Larvae are the young, worm-like stage of these insects. For one specific butterfly, the Lycaena rubidus, grassleaf sorrel is the only plant its larvae will eat.
See also
In Spanish: Rumex graminifolius para niños
