Chenopodium oahuense facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chenopodium oahuense |
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Chenopodium
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| Species: |
oahuense
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Chenopodium oahuense is a special flowering plant. It is part of the amaranth family. People in Hawaii know it by many names. Some of these are aweoweo, alaweo, and aheahea. This plant is endemic to Hawaii. This means it grows naturally only in Hawaii. You can find it on most of the big Hawaiian islands. It also grows on smaller islands like Lisianski Island and Necker Island.
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What Does Aweoweo Look Like?
The aweoweo plant is a shrub. A shrub is like a small tree with many branches. This plant can grow quite tall. It can reach between 5 and 20 meters high. That's like a two to six-story building!
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the aweoweo are a bit thick and soft. They are called "fleshy." They also have a few soft hairs. Each leaf blade has three parts, or "lobes." This makes them look a bit like a clover.
The plant produces small flowers. These flowers grow in clusters. These clusters are shaped like a pyramid. This type of flower cluster is called a panicle.
How Aweoweo Helps Hawaii
The aweoweo plant is very important in Hawaii. It helps the environment in several ways.
Protecting the Land
This plant is used to help restore Hawaiian ecosystems. An ecosystem is a community of living things and their environment. Aweoweo helps bring back native plants and animals. It also helps stop erosion. Erosion is when soil gets washed away by wind or rain. The roots of the aweoweo plant hold the soil in place. This is very helpful on hillsides.
Home for Birds
Many birds use the aweoweo plant. Sooty terns and red-footed boobies use it. They gather parts of the plant to build their nests. These nests keep their eggs and chicks safe.
Traditional Uses by Native Hawaiians
The Hawaiian people have used this plant for a long time. They found many ways to use it in their daily lives.
Tools and Food
The wood from the aweoweo plant was strong. Hawaiian people used it to make tools. One important tool was shark hooks. These hooks helped them catch fish for food. The leaves of the aweoweo plant were also eaten. They would cook the leaves. They ate them much like we eat spinach today.
