Kamalo Gulch schiedea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kamalo Gulch schiedea |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Schiedea
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| Species: |
lydgatei
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The Schiedea lydgatei is a very rare flowering plant. It is also known as the Kamalo Gulch schiedea or Pacific schiedea. This special plant belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is found only in Hawaii, specifically on the island of Molokai. Because its home is being damaged, this plant is an endangered species in the United States.
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About the Kamalo Gulch Schiedea
This plant is a type of small subshrub. It can grow up to one meter (about three feet) tall. Its flowers are green and do not have petals. They have a sweet smell at certain times of the day.
What Does It Look Like?
The Kamalo Gulch schiedea is a small, bushy plant. It grows to be about as tall as a person's waist. Its flowers are not colorful like many other flowers. Instead, they are green. Even without bright petals, these flowers can smell very sweet.
Where Does It Live?
This rare plant lives only on the island of Molokai in Hawaii. It likes to grow in moist forests and shrublands. These are places where there is enough water and other plants around.
How Does It Reproduce?
The Kamalo Gulch schiedea is special because it is the only plant in its group that has both male and female parts in the same flower. This means one flower can make seeds all by itself. Tiny Pyralid moths often visit these flowers. They might help carry pollen from one flower to another. The wind also helps to spread the pollen for this plant.
Why Is It Endangered?
There are probably fewer than 10,000 of these plants left in the world. The Kamalo Gulch schiedea faces many dangers. Wild animals, like feral ungulates (such as goats or pigs), can eat or trample the plants. Fires can also destroy their habitat. In addition, new plants that are not native to Hawaii have been brought in. These introduced species can take over the space and resources that the native Schiedea lydgatei needs to survive.
