Na Pali rockwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Na Pali rockwort |
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| Nototrichium divaricatum growing in Limahuli Garden and Preserve | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nototrichium
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| Species: |
divaricatum
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The Na Pali rockwort (scientific name: Nototrichium divaricatum), also known as kuluʻī in Hawaiian, is a special kind of shrub. It's a rare plant that lives for many years. This plant belongs to the pigweed family, called Amaranthaceae.
It is found only on the island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. This means it is endemic to Kauaʻi, and you won't find it growing naturally anywhere else in the world!
About the Na Pali Rockwort
Where Does it Live?
The Na Pali rockwort grows in the northwestern part of Kauaʻi. It likes dry to moist shrublands. You can often find it growing on cliffs and ridges that face north.
What Does it Look Like?
Nototrichium divaricatum is a shrub that can grow from about 1 foot (0.3 meters) to 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall. It has many branches, and most parts of the plant are covered with soft, silvery-white hairs.
Its leaves grow in pairs, opposite each other on the stem. Each leaf blade is about 1 to 3 inches (3–7.5 cm) long and 0.4 to 1.8 inches (1–4.6 cm) wide. The plant produces several spikes of small flowers. These flower spikes usually grow at the very end of the branches. Each spike can have between 8 and 30 tiny flowers.
Why is it Special?
Scientists first officially described this plant in 1996. It is very rare! Experts believe there are fewer than 3,000 Na Pali rockwort plants left in the wild. This makes it a very important plant to protect.
