Hibiscadelphus bombycinus

Hibiscadelphus bombycinus is an extinct species of the genus Hibiscadelphus.

Description

Hibiscadelphus bombycinus was a small, apparently deciduous tree of undocumented plant height. This type pointed resemblance to Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis. The kidney-shaped leaves, however, were smaller and the bracts wider. The wide, oblong - ovate leaf blade was reversed 3 to 8.5 cm long. The upper leaf surface was sparsely hairy. The bottom was covered with dense hair, especially in the nervous shoulders. The leaf shape was three - angled, five - angled or lobed. The leaf edge was notched irregularly. The leaf base was deeply cordate leaf with a closed incision.

The petioles were 1-5 cm, the pedicels 2 cm and the fruit stalks 4 cm long. The six 9 to 10 mm long and 1 to 5.3 mm wide bracts linear - oblong to spatulate were at the base and slightly deformed. The approximately 1.2 cm long calyx was tubular to bell-shaped. The approximately 3.3 cm long corolla was moderately arched. 2.5 to 3 cm long, woody capsule fruit was slightly obovate and acuminate. The mesocarp was pronounced and reticulate. There were ten Endokarpschichten. The yellowish, woolly coated seeds were 6 mm long.

Extinction

Hibiscadelphus bombycinus was collected only once 1851-1868 by Wilhelm Hillebrand on the dry slopes of the Kohala at Kawaihae, Hawaii. 1920, the species was described based on a mislabeled Herbarexemplares in the Bernice P. Bishop Museum by Charles Noyes Forbes. As Aussterbeursachen the destruction of vegetation by overgrazing and bush fires are suspected.