Umbrella bulrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Umbrella bulrush |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Scirpus
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| Species: |
diffusus
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The umbrella bulrush (scientific name: Scirpus diffusus) is a cool flowering plant. It belongs to the sedge family, which are grass-like plants. You can only find this special plant in California, USA. It grows in high mountain areas, like the Klamath Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.
This plant loves wet places! You'll often see it in wetland habitats and other moist spots, such as mountain meadows.
Contents
What is the Umbrella Bulrush?
The umbrella bulrush is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years. It grows back each year from its roots.
How Does It Grow?
The umbrella bulrush usually grows in a clump of upright stems. These stems can reach up to a meter (about 3 feet) tall! Sometimes, you might see single stems growing on their own too. The stems have a unique shape: they are three-angled and get narrower in the middle.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant has leaves at the bottom of its stems and also higher up. At the very top of the stem, you'll find its inflorescence. An inflorescence is a fancy word for a cluster of flowers or seeds. For the umbrella bulrush, it's made of several groups of small spikelets. These spikelets are wrapped at their bases by a leaf-like part called a bract. You might also see smaller inflorescences growing from where the upper leaves meet the stem.
Where Does It Live?
The umbrella bulrush is endemic to California. This means it naturally grows only in California and nowhere else in the world. It thrives in the cooler, moist environments of California's high mountain ranges.
