Kokia lanceolata

Kokia lanceolata (English name: Wailupe Valley treecotton ) is an extinct species of the family (Malvaceae ). She belonged to the small genus Kokia, which consists of only four types.

This species was first collected in 1888 by Wilhelm Hillebrand. In 1912 it was described by Frederick Lewis Lewton scientifically.

Description

Kokia lanceolata was a small tree whose exact plant height is unknown. The leaves were lobed 8 to 12.5 inches wide and seven times. On the underside of the leaves showed a hair in the nerve axils near the leaf base.

The stems of individual flowers ( pedicle ) were 3.5 to 5 inches long. The narrow verkehrtlanzettliche Involucrum was 30 to 38 millimeters long and 8 to 13 mm wide. The bracts were smooth or hairy towards the base. The flowers looked like Hibiscus flowers ( Hibiscus ). The cup was 1.5 to 2 inches long, smooth and irregularly incised; unlike Hibiscus species showed a wavy shape. The red petals and the columna were about 10 inches long. The flowers produce much nectar. Due to the flower construction is to assume that the species was pollinated by birds ( bird flower). Fruit and seeds of this species are not known.

Occurrence

Kokia lanceolata was endemic to the dry forests in the southeast of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Their occurrence was limited to the hill Makaku and Koko Head and the Wailupe Valley.

Extinction

Kokia lanceolata died probably from the late 19th century or early 20th century. The reasons were probably over-grazing by cattle, urbanization and invasive plants. Despite intensive search no more plants of this species were detected.