Daphnopsis hellerana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daphnopsis hellerana |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Daphnopsis
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| Species: |
hellerana
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The Daphnopsis hellerana is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the Daphnopsis genus in the Thymelaeaceae family. This special plant is found only in Puerto Rico. In 1992, there were just four groups of these plants left. They had only 125 individual plants in total. Because it is so rare, the United States government officially listed it as an endangered species in 1988.
Contents
What This Plant Looks Like
The Daphnopsis hellerana can grow as a shrub or an evergreen tree. It can reach up to 6 meters (about 20 feet) tall. This plant only grows on limestone ground in Puerto Rico. It likes moist forest areas. You might find it growing near other trees like almacigo (Bursera simaruba), copey (Clusia rosea), holywood (Guaiacum sanctum), and pigeonplum (Coccoloba diversifolia).
Its leaves are oval-shaped. They can be up to 13 centimeters (about 5 inches) long and 6 centimeters (about 2.4 inches) wide. When new leaves grow, they are a pretty golden color. As they get older, they turn green and become smooth. When they dry, they look reddish-brown.
Flowers and Fruit
The Daphnopsis hellerana is a dioecious plant. This means that male and female flowers grow on separate plants.
- Male plants have small, fuzzy, tube-shaped flowers. They are less than one centimeter long.
- Female plants have smaller, fuzzy, bell-shaped flowers. These are less than half a centimeter long.
The plants usually bloom, or flower, from February to April. After flowering, the female plants produce a white berry. Each berry is less than two centimeters long and holds one seed.
Scientists have noticed something interesting about the seeds. Plants in two of the groups produce many new seedlings. But the plants in the other two groups produce very few. This might mean that in those areas, there are mostly male or mostly female plants, not a good mix of both.
Where It Lives and Its History
The Daphnopsis hellerana was first found in 1900. But then, no one saw it again until 1958. Today, three of the four known groups of these plants are in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. The fourth group is in Isabela, Puerto Rico.
This plant has probably always been quite rare. However, the remaining plants are now facing many dangers.
Why It's Endangered
One of the biggest threats to the Daphnopsis hellerana is Deforestation. This means forests are being cut down. This reduces the amount of natural home for this plant and other unique plants in Puerto Rico.
Forests have been cleared for several reasons:
- For agriculture, like growing crops or for animals to graze.
- For yam farms.
- To use the trees for building materials or to make charcoal.
Another big danger comes from quarrying. This is when people dig up large amounts of limestone from the hills where the plant grows. This activity destroys the plant's natural home and harms the entire ecosystem around it.
