Hawaiian vetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hawaiian vetch |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Vicia
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| Species: |
menziesii
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The Hawaiian vetch (Vicia menziesii) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the legume family, which includes peas and beans. This special plant grows only in Hawaii, specifically on the island of Hawaii. It is in danger because its home is shrinking, and new plants brought by people are taking over. Since 1978, the Hawaiian vetch has been on the United States' endangered species list. It was the first Hawaiian plant ever added to this important list.
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Discovering the Hawaiian Vetch
This unique plant was first found in 1794. A person named Archibald Menzies collected it on Mauna Loa, a large volcano. It was also found on Mauna Kea at one time. However, it does not seem to grow there anymore.
Where Does It Live Today?
As of 1980, there were only a few groups of Hawaiian vetch left. All of them grew in a small area on Mauna Loa. This area was about one kilometer long. There are only about 15 to 50 individual plants in total. This makes it one of the rarest plants in the world.
What Does the Hawaiian Vetch Look Like?
The Hawaiian vetch is a type of liana. This means it is a woody vine that climbs up trees. It can grow very long, sometimes up to 20 meters! One study found that most vines were about 2.6 meters long. Some could reach 12.5 meters.
Plant Features
The vine can spread along the ground before climbing. It can also climb up to 8 meters high into the tree branches. Its leaves are about 10 to 13 centimeters long. Each leaf has several pairs of smaller leaflets. These leaflets can be up to 7 centimeters long and 3 centimeters wide. The leaves also have special parts called tendrils at their tips. These tendrils help the plant grab onto things and climb.
Flowers and Fruit
The Hawaiian vetch produces groups of 6 to 9 flowers. These flowers have a curved shape and can be up to 3 centimeters long. When they first open, the flowers are yellowish-white. As they get older, they turn rose-pink, then purplish. After the flowers, the plant grows a black legume pod. This pod is about 9 or 10 centimeters long. Inside, it holds round, black seeds.
How Does It Get Pollinated?
The flowers of the Hawaiian vetch are visited by two types of Hawaiian honeycreepers. These are special birds found only in Hawaii. The birds are the ʻiʻiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) and the ʻamakihi (Loxops virens virens). The shape and color of the flowers suggest that birds help to pollinate them. This means the birds help the plant make seeds.
A Special Stamp
The Hawaiian vetch is so important that it was featured on a United States stamp. This special stamp was released on June 7, 1979. It helped to bring attention to this rare and beautiful plant.
