Kokia cookei
Encyclopedia
Kokia cookei is a small, deciduous
tree
commonly known as the kokio, Molokai treecotton, Cooke's kokio, or Molokai kokio. It is considered one of the rarest and most endangered plant species in the world. Even when first found in the 1860s, only three trees could be located. It was presumed extinct
in the 1950s when the last surviving seedling perished. However, in 1970, a single plant was discovered on the same Kauluwai estate where the "last" individual grew, presumably a surviving relict of one of the plants previously cultivated there. Although this tree was destroyed in a fire in 1978, a branch that was removed earlier was grafted
onto the related, and also endangered, Kokia kauaiensis
. Currently there exist about 23 grafted plants.
It is only known to have existed in the lowlands of western Molokai
in the Hawaiian Islands
. Presumably, its native habitat was lowland dry forests
on the leeward
western end of the island; this was all but cut down by Polynesian
settlers about the year 1000 AD to make room for agriculture. It seems to have been noted by these settlers, as suggested by the native
name hau heleula ("entirely red hau
"). The three trees initially found grew near Mahana, northeast of Puu Nana at approximately 200 metres (656.2 ft) elevation.
Although the original forest ecosystem was destroyed and replaced by shrubland
with plants like native iliee (Plumbago zeylanica
) and introduced flora, Molokai kokio survived initially. It seems to have had some tolerance to habitat change, enabling it to hang on until the 19th century.
with native nectarivorous
birds. K. cookei seems to be adapted to bird pollination like most related Malvaceae
. The birds, Drepanidinae, were extirpated from dryland forest by Polynesians, and most remaining species entirely succumbed to mosquito
-borne diseases like avian malaria
(Plasmodium relictum) and fowlpox
in the 19th century.
The wide, large flowers of Molokai kokio would have admitted a wide range of potential pollinators (as opposed to e.g. Hibiscadelphus
):
(after James & Olson 1991, Olson & James 1991)
Of these, the Iiwi was perhaps the most important, given that the other species are/were all either smallish and short-billed (K. cookei has quite large flowers), or did probably not occur in its habitat in significant numbers.
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
commonly known as the kokio, Molokai treecotton, Cooke's kokio, or Molokai kokio. It is considered one of the rarest and most endangered plant species in the world. Even when first found in the 1860s, only three trees could be located. It was presumed extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
in the 1950s when the last surviving seedling perished. However, in 1970, a single plant was discovered on the same Kauluwai estate where the "last" individual grew, presumably a surviving relict of one of the plants previously cultivated there. Although this tree was destroyed in a fire in 1978, a branch that was removed earlier was grafted
Grafting
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation...
onto the related, and also endangered, Kokia kauaiensis
Kokia kauaiensis
Kokia kauaiensis, the Kauai Kokio, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to Kauai, Hawaii.It inhabits coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests at elevations of...
. Currently there exist about 23 grafted plants.
It is only known to have existed in the lowlands of western Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. Presumably, its native habitat was lowland dry forests
Hawaiian tropical dry forests
The Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of on the leeward side of the main islands and the summits of Niihau and Kahoolawe. These forests are either seasonal or sclerophyllous. Annual rainfall is less than and...
on the leeward
Windward and leeward
Windward is the direction upwind from the point of reference. Leeward is the direction downwind from the point of reference. The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its lee side. If the vessel is heeling under the pressure of the wind, this will be the "lower side"...
western end of the island; this was all but cut down by Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
settlers about the year 1000 AD to make room for agriculture. It seems to have been noted by these settlers, as suggested by the native
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
name hau heleula ("entirely red hau
Hawaiian hibiscus
Hawaiian hibiscus are the seven known species of hibiscus regarded as native to Hawaii. Although tourists regularly associate the hibiscus flower with their experiences visiting the US state of Hawaii, and the plant family Malvaceae includes a relatively large number of species that are native to...
"). The three trees initially found grew near Mahana, northeast of Puu Nana at approximately 200 metres (656.2 ft) elevation.
Although the original forest ecosystem was destroyed and replaced by shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
with plants like native iliee (Plumbago zeylanica
Plumbago zeylanica
Plumbago zeylanica, commonly known as Ceylon Leadwort or Doctorbush, is a species of plumbago with a pantropical distribution. Carl Linnaeus described the paleotropical P. zeylanica and neotropical P. scandens as separate species, but they are currently considered synonymous...
) and introduced flora, Molokai kokio survived initially. It seems to have had some tolerance to habitat change, enabling it to hang on until the 19th century.
Putative pollinators
Its eventual extinction in wild state of the species seems for a large part due to coextinctionCoextinction
Coextinction of a species is the loss of a species as a consequence of the extinction of another. The term was originally used in the context of the extinction of parasitic insects following the loss of their specific hosts...
with native nectarivorous
Nectarivore
In zoology, nectarivore is an animal which eats the sugar-rich nectar produced by flowering plants. Most nectarivores are insects or birds, but there are also nectarivorous mammals, notably several species of bats in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, as well as the Australian Honey Possum...
birds. K. cookei seems to be adapted to bird pollination like most related Malvaceae
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
. The birds, Drepanidinae, were extirpated from dryland forest by Polynesians, and most remaining species entirely succumbed to mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
-borne diseases like avian malaria
Avian malaria
Avian malaria is a parasitic disease of birds.-Etiology:Avian malaria is most notably caused by Plasmodium relictum, a protist that infects birds in tropical regions...
(Plasmodium relictum) and fowlpox
Fowlpox
Fowlpox is a worldwide disease of poultry caused by viruses of the family Poxviridae and the genus Avipoxvirus. The viruses causing fowlpox are distinct from one another but antigenically similar, possible hosts including chickens, turkeys, quail, canaries, pigeons, and many other species of...
in the 19th century.
The wide, large flowers of Molokai kokio would have admitted a wide range of potential pollinators (as opposed to e.g. Hibiscadelphus
Hibiscadelphus
Hibiscadelphus is a genus of Malvaceae from the subfamily Malvoideae endemic to Hawaii. It was known by the Native Hawaiians as hau kuahiwi which means "mountain Hibiscus". The Latin name means "brother of Hibiscus"...
):
- Maui Nui Alauahio, Paroreomyza montana ssp? - extirpated from island (prehistorically?)
- KākāwahieMolokai CreeperParoreomyza flammea, commonly known as the Kākāwahie or Molokai Creeper, was a species of finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanidinae. It is extinct, but formerly occurred on the Hawaiian island of Molokai in Hawaii. It was long with clawed toes. This bird had the appearance of a...
, Paroreomyza flammea - extirpated from lowlands by 1900, extinct (1963) - Common Amakihi, Hemignathus virens - extirpated from lowlands by 1900
- [[ʻIʻiwi|Iiwi]], Vestiaria coccinea - extirpated from lowlands by 1900
- Black MamoBlack MamoThe Black Mamo is an extinct bird species once endemic to the island of Molokai, although there is fossil evidence of it having lived on Maui....
, Drepanis funerea - extinct (1907); not certain if it regularly occurred in habitat - [[ʻApapane|Apapane]], Himatione sanguinea - extirpated from lowlands by 1900
- [[ʻAkohekohe|Akohekohe]], Palmeria dolei - extirpated from island (1907); not certain if it regularly occurred in habitat
(after James & Olson 1991, Olson & James 1991)
Of these, the Iiwi was perhaps the most important, given that the other species are/were all either smallish and short-billed (K. cookei has quite large flowers), or did probably not occur in its habitat in significant numbers.
