Beach spinifex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beach spinifex |
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Spinifex
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longifolius
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Beach spinifex (scientific name: Spinifex longifolius) is a type of grass. It grows year after year, which means it's a perennial. You can find it in sandy areas along the seacoast. It also grows in many desert regions across Australia.
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What Does Beach Spinifex Look Like?
Beach spinifex grows in a clump, like a big bunch of grass. This type of clump is called a tussock. It can be from 30 centimetres (about a foot) to one metre (about three feet) tall. It can also spread out up to two metres (about six feet) wide.
Its leaves are long and flat. The plant produces flowers that are green or brown.
There's another type of spinifex called Spinifex littoreus. It looks similar to beach spinifex. However, Spinifex littoreus has very hard and sharp leaves. They can even cut your skin! Luckily, the leaves of beach spinifex are much softer.
How Scientists Name This Plant
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps everyone know exactly which plant or animal they are talking about. This system of naming and classifying living things is called taxonomy.
The famous botanist Robert Brown first described and named beach spinifex in 1810. He wrote about it in his book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.
Where Does Beach Spinifex Grow?
Beach spinifex loves to grow on coastal dunes. These are hills of white sand found along the ocean. You can find this plant in several countries. It grows in Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
In Australia, it grows along the coast from Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia. Its range extends north and east all the way to the western edge of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland.
Traditional Uses by Aboriginal People
The Noongar people are an Aboriginal group from southwest Western Australia. They have a long history of using plants for many purposes. They traditionally used beach spinifex as a natural remedy.
They would take the juice from the young tips of the plant. Then, they would gently drip this juice into people's eyes. This was done to help relieve discomfort from eye conditions.
