Kokia drynarioides is a tree that grows up to 10 m tall. The leaves can be from 12-25 cm wide and have 7-9 lobes with a cordate (heart shaped) leaf base. Kokia flowers are borne individually in the leaf axils near the end of the branches. They are large with showy, brick-red petals that are 10-15 cm long. The flowers are similar to a Hibiscus flower in that the stalks that support the anthers (pollen producing structures) fuse to form a staminal column that can be up to 11 cm long. By extending the anthers out from the flower the pollen is exposed to pollinators to ensure the transfer of pollen for fertilization of a different flower, therefore ensuring seed production. The fruit is a 5-lobed dry capsule (3.7 cm in length) with 3 broad, wing-like bracts (4-6 cm long) at the base and contains up to five seeds. The seeds are 10-12 mm long, 10 mm wide and are covered with short hairs. (Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai`i. Revised Edition. Volume 1. Bishop Museum Special Publication 97. University of Hawai`i Press, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai`i.)
Kaua’i Division of Forestry and Wildlife has fenced in the population of K. kauaiensis in Paaiki Valley to protect it from feral goats and deer, and over 50 plants of K. kauaiensis have been cultivated in botanical gardens by seed and tissue culture. The National Tropical Botanical Garden currently has 160 seeds in its seed bank, which represents three out of the six populations. In addition, there are five plants representing two out of the six populations growing in the nursery and 35 individuals representing five of the six populations in the grounds of the botanical garden. (Center for Plant Conservation. http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=2387)
The genus Kokia only contains 4 species, each of which is endemic to a single island in Hawaii, and one of which (Kokia lanceolata) is extinct. Kokia kauaiensis is only found on the west side of Kaua’i in Pa’aiki, Ku’ia, Mahanaloa, Kalalau and Koai’e valleys. Altogether there are less than 100 individuals in six populations. Kokia kauaiensis is a federally listed endangered species. (IUCN 2008 Red List – kokia kauaiensis. Website accessed on 10/28/08. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/30934) (Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai’i. Revised Edition. Volume 1. Bishop Museum Special Publication 97. University of Hawai‘i Press, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai’i.)
Despite Kokia’s presumed co-evolution with Hawaiian honey-creeper birds, recent studies have shown that today the plant is also pollinated by insects. Kokia kauaiensis also serves as root stock for the extremely endangered Kokia drynarioides. (Sakai, A.K.; Wagner, W.L.; Ferguson, D.M.; Herbst, D.R. 1995. Origins of Dioecy in the Hawaiian Flora. Ecology. 76, 8: 2517-2529.) (Center for Plant Conservation. http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=2387)
Threats to K. kauaiensis include competition with and habitat degradation by invasive alien plant species, loss of topsoil from erosion, habitat degradation and browsing by feral goats and deer, and seed predation by rats. It is a federally listed endangered species. (Center for Plant Conservation. http://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_ViewProfile.asp?CPCNum=2387)
We currently have 31 herbarium specimens for Kokia kauaiensis in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.
