Toromiro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toromiro |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sophora
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| Species: |
toromiro
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The toromiro (scientific name: Sophora toromiro) is a special type of flowering tree. It belongs to the legume family, called Fabaceae. This tree is endemic to Easter Island, which means it naturally grew only there.
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The Toromiro Tree's Past
For a long time, the toromiro tree was common on Easter Island. But by the early 1600s, most of the island's forests were gone. This happened because of heavy deforestation, which means many trees were cut down. Because of this, the toromiro tree became very rare. By the 1960s, it was declared extinct in the wild. This means it no longer grew naturally on Easter Island.
Old Stories and the Toromiro
Local stories on Easter Island say that the famous rongorongo tablets were made from toromiro wood. These tablets have a special writing system. However, scientists have tested the wood from these tablets. They found that the tablets were actually made from a different tree. This tree is called Thespesia populnea, also known as miro or milo in some Polynesian languages.
A famous nature expert, David Attenborough, has a small wooden sculpture. Experts at Kew Gardens looked at the wood. They confirmed that this sculpture was indeed made from Sophora toromiro wood.
Bringing Back the Toromiro: Conservation Efforts
Today, scientists are working hard to bring the toromiro tree back to Easter Island. This is a big scientific project. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in England and the Gothenburg Botanical Garden in Sweden are helping lead this effort.
How the Trees Were Saved
In the 1960s, a famous explorer named Thor Heyerdahl collected seeds from a single toromiro tree. These seeds were taken to the Gothenburg Botanical Garden. The plants grown from these seeds were the only ones known to have a clear origin. For a while, people thought all toromiro trees came from this one tree. But later research showed that at least one other tree's descendants also survived.
Other Places Helping
The Jardin du Val Rahmeh is a botanical garden in Menton, France. This garden focuses on growing and protecting rare plant species. The Sophora toromiro is one of the special trees they are helping to save.
