Native plants · Minnesota

Native plants of McLeod County

270 plant species are recorded as native to Minnesota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in McLeod County by USDA PLANTS. 127 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 5 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

McLeod County, Minnesota

Native species: 270 Typical Minnesota county: 435 (median of 87 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 127 Typical Minnesota county: 193
Share by type (all 270 native species): Percent of the 270 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (20)
Shrub 6% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 61% (164)
Grass or grass-like 21% (58)
Vine 3% (9)
Fern 1% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 4b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 127

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of McLeod County, Minnesota
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American bur-reed Sparganium americanum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American hazelnut Corylus americana	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
arctic brome Bromus kalmii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Bicknell's sedge Carex bicknellii	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bluntleaf bedstraw Galium obtusum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
butternut Juglans cinerea	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common blue violet Viola sororia	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common rivergrass Scolochloa festucacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
hairy sedge Carex lacustris	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
hop sedge Carex lupulina	Grass or grass-like	4.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
leadplant Amorpha canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Missouri River willow Salix eriocephala	Tree	52 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
nannyberry Viburnum lentago	Tree	28 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
prairie willow Salix humilis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
pussy willow Salix discolor	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
quill sedge Carex tenera	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper	Wildflower (forb)	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
roundleaf serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea	Tree	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
scarlet Indian paintbrush Castilleja coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
upright sedge Carex stricta	Grass or grass-like	4.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
white avens Geum canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
white meadowsweet Spiraea alba	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
winter bentgrass Agrostis hyemalis	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 143

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

American ginseng Panax quinquefolius
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
American stoneseed Lithospermum latifolium
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bulrush Schoenoplectus ×oblongus
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
clustered blacksnakeroot Sanicula odorata
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
Culver's root Veronicastrum virginicum
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
dotted hawthorn Crataegus punctata
downy gentian Gentiana puberulenta
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
dwarf red blackberry Rubus pubescens
earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern prickly gooseberry Ribes cynosbati
eastern star sedge Carex radiata
Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fourflower yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadriflora
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
Fries' pondweed Potamogeton friesii
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
golden zizia Zizia aurea
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
greater water dock Rumex orbiculatus
grooved flax Linum sulcatum
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
harlequin blueflag Iris versicolor
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
heavy sedge Carex gravida
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
Kalm's hawkweed Hieracium kalmii
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
largeflower bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
Leiberg's panicum Dichanthelium leibergii
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
meadow garlic Allium canadense
meadow willow Salix petiolaris
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
needletip blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium mucronatum
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
pale dock Rumex altissimus
palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
Peck's sedge Carex peckii
Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica
prairie blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium campestre
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
prairie milkweed Asclepias sullivantii
prairie rose Rosa arkansana
prairie violet Viola pedatifida
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
red baneberry Actaea rubra
red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
rigid sedge Carex tetanica
Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
silky dogwood Cornus obliqua
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
skyblue aster Symphyotrichum oolentangiense
smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
smooth rose Rosa blanda
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
stiff tickseed Coreopsis palmata
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
swamp thistle Cirsium muticum
tall blazing star Liatris aspera
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
waterhorehound Lycopus ×sherardii
western silver aster Symphyotrichum sericeum
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white lady's slipper Cypripedium candidum
whitehair rosette grass Dichanthelium villosissimum
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris

Also listed as native and introduced here 5

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
common reedPhragmites australis
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Minnesota

The typical county is the median of the 87 Minnesota counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, McLeod County and Minnesota
Measure	McLeod County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	270	435	1,506
Garden-ready natives	127	193	550
Tree	20	—	105
Shrub	15	—	96
Wildflower (forb)	164	—	824
Grass or grass-like	58	—	361
Vine	9	—	43
Fern	4	—	77

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with McLeod County.

Carver County, MN 147 garden-ready
Meeker County, MN 119 garden-ready
Renville County, MN 83 garden-ready
Sibley County, MN 55 garden-ready
Wright County, MN 268 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: McLeod County (county FIPS 27085), Minnesota. 270 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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