''Hibiscus waimeae'' (white Kauai rosemallow, haw, kokio keokeo, or ) is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

within the

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

family,

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

, that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the island of

Kauai Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

Etymology

Hibiscus refers to the Greek word ''ibiscos'' meaning mallow, and ''waimeae'' is derived from Waimea Canyon, where the ''hibiscus waimeae'' is found. The ''hibiscus waimeae'' is also known in Hawaiian as ''koki’o kea''. ''Koki’o'' is the

Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...

word for hibiscus and ''kea'' is the Hawaiian word for white.

Description

It is a small gray-barked

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

, reaching on average a height of and an average trunk diameter of . Around 1/8 inches long, the fuzzy brown seeds of the ''hibiscus waimeae'' plant are enclosed in protective oblong pods. The ''hibiscus waimeae'' plant blooms year-round, though it may experience brief periods without bloom, particularly in the cooler seasons. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s last for a single day, starting out white and fading to pink in the afternoon. Though flowers bloom and close over the course of one day, the plant itself can live longer than 5 years. ''H. arnottianus'' of

Oahu Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...

and

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

and ''H. waimeae'' are the only

Hawaiian hibiscus Hawaiian hibiscus are seven species of hibiscus native to Hawaii. The yellow hibiscus is Hawaii's state flower. Most commonly grown as ornamental plants in the Hawaiian Islands are the non-native Chinese hibiscus (''Hibiscus rosa-sinensis'') and i ...

es that have white flowers. Producing a sweet-smelling flower, the ''hibiscus waimeae'' plant is also one of only two hibiscus species to have a fragrance.

Distribution and habitat

''H. waimeae'' inhabits coastal mesic, mixed mesic, and wet forests at elevations of . ''H. waimeae'' subsp. ''waimeae'' can be found in the western and southwestern parts of the island, where it grows in the

Waimea Canyon Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a large canyon, approximately ten miles (16 km) long and up to 3,000 feet (900 m) deep, located on the western side of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands of the United States. ...

area and valleys that face the ocean. ''H. waimeae'' subsp. ''hannerae'' is rarer (listed as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

by the

USFWS The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

) and can often be found in the northwestern part of the island where it grows in the Hanakapiai, Limahuli, and Kalihi Wai valleys.

Uses

''Hibiscus waimeae,'' like many hibiscus species, are popularly placed in the hair or tucked behind the ear. It is also commonly used to make leis, which are garlands typically made of strung together flowers and used in many different types of celebrations. The plant was primarily grown around homes and used as decoration by Native Hawaiians, though it is said that ''H. waimeae'' flowers were also eaten by men and boys as a laxative.

Cultivation

Due to the easily hybridized nature of Hibiscus plants, it is recommended that seeds are hand pollinated after removal from their pods. ''H. waimeae'' can be propagated via seeds,

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...

air layering Layering has evolved as a common means of vegetative propagation of numerous species in natural environments. Layering is also utilized by horticulturists to propagate desirable plants. Natural layering typically occurs when a branch touches ...

, and

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

References

External links

waimeae Endemic flora of Hawaii Trees of Hawaii {{Hibisceae-stub