Kauai treecotton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kauaʻi Kokiʻo |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Kokia
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| Species: |
kauaiensis
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The Kokia kauaiensis, also called the Kauai treecotton or Kauaʻi Kokiʻo, is a very special flowering plant. It belongs to the mallow family, which is called Malvaceae. This beautiful tree is found only on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaii. When a plant or animal is found only in one place, it is called endemic. The Kauaʻi Kokiʻo is a unique part of Hawaii's amazing nature.
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Discovering the Kauaʻi Kokiʻo Tree
The Kauaʻi Kokiʻo is a small tree. It can grow to be about 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) tall. That's like a two or three-story building! It has beautiful flowers, which is why it's called a flowering plant.
Where the Kauaʻi Kokiʻo Lives
This special tree lives in the tropical rainforests on Kauaʻi. It prefers places called "coastal mesic" and "mixed mesic forests." These are forests that get a good amount of rain and are not too wet or too dry. You can find it growing at elevations from about 350 to 660 meters (1,150 to 2,165 feet) above sea level.
Plant Friends in the Forest
The Kauaʻi Kokiʻo grows alongside many other native Hawaiian plants. Some of its plant neighbors include:
- ʻAhakea (Bobea species)
- Koa (Acacia koa)
- Lama (Diospyros sandwicensis)
- ʻŌhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha)
- Maile (Alyxia oliviformis)
- Hala pepe (Pleomele aurea)
- Uluhe (Dicranopteris linearis)
- Aloalo (Hibiscus species)
Why the Kauaʻi Kokiʻo is Rare
Sadly, the Kauaʻi Kokiʻo is a very rare tree. It is threatened by something called habitat loss. This means that the places where it naturally grows are shrinking or being destroyed. This can happen because of things like new buildings, farms, or other changes to the land.
At one point, there was only one single Kauaʻi Kokiʻo tree left in the world! Thanks to conservation efforts, there are now about 45 to 50 individual trees remaining. Scientists and conservationists are working hard to protect these trees and help their numbers grow. It's important to save unique plants like the Kauaʻi Kokiʻo so they don't disappear forever.
