Colobanthus quitensis
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''Colobanthus quitensis'', the Antarctic pearlwort, is one of two native
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s found in the Antarctic region. It has yellow flowers and grows about 5 cm (two inches) tall, with a
cushion A cushion is a soft bag of some ornamental material, usually stuffed with wool, hair, feathers, polyester staple fiber, non-woven material, cotton, or even paper torn into fragments. It may be used for sitting or kneeling upon, or to soften th ...
-like growth habit that gives it a moss-like appearance.


Distribution

It is found on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, on South Georgia,
South Shetland The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of . They lie about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between southwest of the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. By the Antarctic Treaty of 195 ...
and the Falklands; also in the Andes, becoming increasingly rare northwards, but reaching Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, with a further isolated population in Mexico.


Climate change

Within Antarctica, due to
climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
, more seeds are germinating, creating a large number of seedlings and plants. Reports indicate a fivefold increase in these plants, which have extended their ranges southward and cover more extensive areas, wherever found. Research found that the Antarctic pearlwort spread nearly ten times faster during the period 2009 through 2018 compared to between 1960 and 2009. ''
Deschampsia antarctica ''Deschampsia antarctica'', the Antarctic hair grass, is one of two flowering plants native to Antarctica, the other being ''Colobanthus quitensis'' (Antarctic pearlwort). They mainly occur on the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Island ...
'' (Antarctic hairgrass) is the only other native flowering plant in the region.


References


External links

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British Antarctic Survey - Plants


{{Taxonbar, from=Q571413 quitensis Flora of Antarctica Flora of South Georgia Island Flora of the Falkland Islands Flora of South America Flora of Mexico Plants described in 1823