Hibiscus waimeae
| Hibiscus waimeae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Hibiscus waimeaesubsp.hannerae | |
Scientific classification
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Hibiscus |
| Species: | H. waimeae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hibiscus waimeae | |
| Subspecies | |
Hibiscus waimeae(white Kauai rosemallow,Hawaiian:kokiʻo keʻokeʻo,orkokiʻo kea) is a species offlowering plantwithin theokrafamily,Malvaceae,that isendemicto the island ofKauaʻiinHawaii.[1]
Etymology
[edit]Hibiscus refers to the Greek wordibiscosmeaning mallow, andwaimeaeis derived from Waimea Canyon, where thehibiscus waimeaeis found. Thehibiscus waimeaeis also known in Hawaiian askokiʻo kea.Kokiʻois theHawaiian languageword for hibiscus andkeais the Hawaiian word for white.[3]
Description
[edit]It is a small gray-barkedtree,reaching on average a height of 6–10 metres (20–33 ft)[4]and an average trunk diameter of 0.3 m (0.98 ft).[5]Around 1/8 inches long, the fuzzy brown seeds of thehibiscus waimeaeplant are enclosed in protective oblong pods.[6]
Thehibiscus waimeaeplant blooms year-round, though it may experience brief periods without bloom, particularly in the cooler seasons. Theflowerslast for a single day, starting out white and fading to pink in the afternoon.[6]Though flowers bloom and close over the course of one day, the plant itself can live longer than 5 years.[7]
H. arnottianusofOʻahuandMolokaʻiandH. waimeaeare the onlyHawaiian hibiscusesthat have white flowers.[8]Producing a sweet-smelling flower, thehibiscus waimeaeplant is also one of only two hibiscus species to have a fragrance.[7]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]H. waimeaeinhabitscoastal mesic,mixed mesic,andwet forestsat elevations of 250–1,200 m (820–3,940 ft).[1]
H. waimeaesubsp.waimeaecan be found in the western and southwestern parts of the island, where it grows in theWaimea Canyonarea and valleys that face the ocean.[9]H. waimeaesubsp.hanneraeis rarer (listed asendangeredby theUSFWS) and can often be found in the northwestern part of the island[10]where it grows in the Hanakapiʻai,Limahuli,and Kalihi Wai valleys.[2]
Uses
[edit]Hibiscus waimeae,like many hibiscus species, are popularly placed in the hair or tucked behind the ear. It is also commonly used to makeleis,which are garlands typically made of strung together flowers and used in many different types of celebrations.[11]
The plant was primarily grown around homes and used as decoration by Native Hawaiians, though it is said thatH. waimeaeflowers were also eaten by men and boys as a laxative.[11]
Cultivation
[edit]Due to the easily hybridized nature of Hibiscus plants, it is recommended that seeds are hand pollinated after removal from their pods.H. waimeaecan be propagated via seeds,cutting,air layering,andgrafting.[6]
References
[edit]- ^abc"Hibiscus waimeae".NatureServe Explorer.NatureServe.Retrieved2009-11-18.[permanent dead link]
- ^ab"Hibiscus waimeaesubsp.hannerae".Meet the Plants.National Tropical Botanical Garden.Retrieved2021-06-24.
- ^"kea".Wehewehe Wikiwiki.Retrieved2022-01-23.
- ^Wagner, Warren Lambert; Derral R. Herbst; S. H. Sohmer (1990).Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaiʻi.Vol. 1. University of Hawaii Press. p. 888.ISBN978-0-8248-1152-5.Archived fromthe originalon 2010-03-28.
- ^Little, Elbert L. Jr; Roger G. Skolmen (1989)."Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo, native white hibiscus"(PDF).Common Forest Trees of Hawaii (Native and Introduced).United States Forest Service.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on August 25, 2015.
- ^abc"Hibiscus waimeae".Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database.University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.Retrieved2009-11-18.
- ^ab"Native Plants Hawaii - Viewing Plant: Hibiscus waimeae subsp. waimeae".nativeplants.hawaii.edu.Retrieved2022-01-23.
- ^Bornhorst, Heidi Leianuenue (2005).Growing Native Hawaiian Plants: A How-to Guide for the Gardener(2nd ed.). Bess Press. p. 36.ISBN978-1-57306-207-7.
- ^"Hibiscus waimeaesubsp.waimeae".Meet the Plants.National Tropical Botanical Garden.Retrieved2009-11-18.
- ^"Hibiscus waimeaessp.hannerae".The Hawaiʻi Biodiversity & Mapping Program.University of Hawaiʻi. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-09-18.Retrieved2009-11-18.
- ^ab"Kokio Kea".hawaiiannativeplants.com.Retrieved2022-01-23.
External links
[edit]
Media related toHibiscus waimeaeat Wikimedia Commons
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