Hana clermontia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hana clermontia |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Clermontia
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| Species: |
samuelii
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| Subspecies | |
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C. s. subsp. hanaensis |
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Clermontia samuelii is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the bellflower family. People also call it Hana clermontia. In Hawaii, it is known as `oha wai. This plant is special because it grows only on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
There are fewer than 250 adult plants left in the wild. Because it is so rare, the United States government has listed it as an endangered species. This means it is in danger of disappearing forever.
Contents
What is Clermontia samuelii?
This plant is a type of shrub. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to five meters (about 16 feet) high. That's taller than a basketball hoop!
Where does it live?
Clermontia samuelii likes to live in wet forests. These forests are often filled with Metrosideros trees. These special forests are found on the island of Maui.
Some of these rare plants are protected inside Haleakalā National Park. National parks help keep important plants and animals safe.
Why is Clermontia samuelii endangered?
Many things threaten the survival of the Hana clermontia.
Invasive Plants
One big problem is invasive plants. These are plants that are not native to Hawaii. They grow very fast and take over the space and resources that native plants need. Two examples are glory bush (Tibouchina herbacea) and Vaseygrass (Paspalum urvillei). They crowd out the native Clermontia samuelii.
Feral Pigs
Another major threat comes from feral pigs. These are pigs that used to be farm animals but now live in the wild. They cause a lot of damage to the forest. They dig up the ground, which hurts the plants and changes the soil. This makes it hard for Clermontia samuelii to grow and survive.
Protecting this unique plant helps keep the whole Hawaiian forest healthy.
