Hibiscus clayi
Hibiscus clayi, common names red Kauai rosemallow, Clay's hibiscus or Kokiʻo ʻula (Hawaiian name), is a perennial angiosperm of the mallow family Malvaceae. Etymology The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) gave to Althaea officinalis. The species name clayi honors Horace F. Clay, a horticulturalist of Hawaii. Description Hibiscus clayi is a shrub of or a tree reaching a height of . Leaves are medium green, shiny, smooth-edged or slightly toothed on the tip. Single flowers are borne at the ends of the branches. They are showy, bright or dark red and they bloom all year around. They are generally similar to Hibiscus kokio. This plant is listed as endangered by USFWS. Distribution and habitat This plant is endemic to Hawaii. It can be found in nature only in the dry forest of Nounou Mountains in the eastern Kauaʻi, at an elevation of above sea level. The conservation status of H. clayi is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. See also Hawaiian hibiscus References clayi Endemic flora of Hawaii Plants described in 1959