Hawaiian plantain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hawaiian plantain |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Plantago
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| Species: |
hawaiensis
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The Plantago hawaiensis is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the plantain family. People often call it the Hawaiian plantain. This special plant only grows in Hawaii. You can find it on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. In Hawaiian, it is known as kuahiwi laukahi. Because it is so rare, the United States government has listed it as an endangered species.
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Meet the Hawaiian Plantain
The Hawaiian plantain is a type of perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for more than two years. It has a stem that grows only a few centimeters tall. The stem feels soft and "woolly" to the touch. From this stem, spikes of small flowers grow.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is quite small. Its woolly stem helps it survive in its natural home. The flowers grow in tall, thin clusters called spikes. These spikes stand up from the plant's main stem.
Where Does It Grow?
The Hawaiian plantain loves wet places. It grows in bogs, which are like marshy wetlands. It also lives in forested areas. These plants grow on lava and volcanic ash from the volcanoes. This means the soil it grows in is made from old volcanic eruptions.
Why Is It So Rare?
The Hawaiian plantain is an endemic species. This means it naturally lives only in one specific place in the world. For this plant, that place is the island of Hawaii. Because it grows nowhere else, it is very special.
What Does "Endangered" Mean?
Being an "endangered species" means a plant or animal is at high risk of disappearing forever. There are only about five groups, or "occurrences," of the Hawaiian plantain left. Scientists estimate there are just over 5,000 individual plants remaining in total. This low number makes it very important to protect them.
