Kokiʻo ʻula or St. John's hibiscus Malvaceae (Mallow family) Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Kauaʻi) IUCN: Endangered Oʻahu (Cultivated)

Flower with leaves www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5188118744/in/photostream/

Habit www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187518157/in/photostream/

Hawaiian Names The Hawaiian name Kokiʻo ʻula is shared by our two native red hibiscus (Hibiscus clayi and H. kokio). The word ʻula means "red" or "scarlet" and ʻulaʻula refers to a deeper red.

Even though the flowers of subspecies saintjohnianus are orange (ʻalani), orange-yellow (melemele ʻili ʻalani), or yellow (melemele), and not red (ʻula), they still go by the name Kokiʻo ʻula.

Mākū is an additional name for this species, but its meaning is unclear. Other meanings for mākū are "firm, hard; thick, stiff, as molasses; jellied, solidified; to gel, harden; to settle, as dregs; to thicken, as cream; dregs, sediment, lees." The connection, if any, is uncertain.

Early Hawaiians pounded kokiʻo with other plants, juice strained, and taken to purify blood. The leaves were chewed and swallowed as a laxative or mothers would chew buds and given to infants and children as a laxative. Mother would also chew the buds and give to children or children would eat the seeds to strengthen a weak child.

Also, the beautiful flowers were fashioned into striking lei by early Hawaiians, but lasting only a day.

Etymology The generic name Hibiscus is derived from hibiscos, the Greek name for mallow. The specific and subspecific epithet kokio comes from the Hawaiian name for this hibiscus. The subspecies is named after Harold St. John (1892-1991), a professor of botany at University of Hawaʻi Mānoa from 1929 to 1958 and a prolific field botanist, credited with discovering hundreds of new species.

NPH00002