Euphorbia skottsbergii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Euphorbia skottsbergii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Euphorbia
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| Species: |
skottsbergii
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| Synonyms | |
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Chamaesyce skottsbergii (Sherff) Croizat & O.Deg. |
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The coastal sandmat or Skottsberg's broomspurge (its scientific name is 'Euphorbia skottsbergii' or Chamaesyce skottsbergii) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the euphorb family. This plant is special because it only grows in Hawaii. You can find it in bushy areas near the coast on islands like Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and Kahoʻolawe. In Hawaii, many plants from the euphorb family are called ʻakoko.
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Why This Plant is Special
The ʻakoko plant is unique because it is endemic to Hawaii. This means it naturally grows nowhere else in the world. It prefers to live in the coastal shrublands, which are dry, bushy areas near the ocean.
A Plant in Danger
In 1982, a special type of this plant, called kalaeloana, was added to the Endangered Species Act list in the United States. This meant it was in danger of disappearing forever. This specific type of ʻakoko was only found on Oʻahu's ʻEwa Plains. This area is between Kalaeloa and Pearl Harbor.
Over the years, the number of these plants went down a lot. Many things caused this decline:
- Building new homes, roads, and other structures.
- Farming and digging up land for quarries.
- Fires that destroyed their homes.
- The arrival of people to Hawaii long ago also started to affect the plant's natural environment.
Threats from Other Plants and Animals
Besides human activities, other living things also threaten the ʻakoko.
- Non-native plants: Plants that are not originally from Hawaii can take over the space and resources that ʻakoko needs. Some examples are Cassytha filiformis (called kaunaoa pehu), Prosopis pallida (kiawe), Asystasia gangetica (Chinese violet), and Cenchrus ciliaris (buffel grass).
- Insects: Some insects can also harm the plant. These include the croton moth (Aechaea janata) and the spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus dispersus).
How Scientists Study the Plant
Scientists are always studying the ʻakoko plant to understand it better. They use genetic analyses, which is like looking at the plant's DNA, to learn about its family tree.
Changing Names and Types
Because of these studies, the way scientists classify this plant has changed over time.
- The rare type on Oʻahu, once called var. kalaeloana, is now known as var. skottsbergii.
- Plants found on Molokaʻi are genetically different enough that they have been named var. audens.
- Scientists even think that the endangered type on Oʻahu might be different enough to be named a completely new species! This shows how much we are still learning about these amazing plants.
