Kokiʻo
Names
- ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Kokiʻo
- Scientific: Kokia cookei
Conservation Status
- Federal and State Listed as Endangered
- Plant Extinction Prevention Program Target
- IUCN Red List Ranking – Extinct in the Wild (EW)
- Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Ranking ‐ Presumed Extinct (Captive or Cultivated Only) (GXC)
- Endemism – Moloka‘i
- Critical Habitat ‐ Designated
Species Information
Koki’o is considered one of the rarest and most endangered plant species in the world. In 1910, a single living tree was discovered within the general area of the initial sighting and may in fact, have been one of the original trees. In 1915, this last remaining wild specimen was found in extremely poor condition though a few seeds were found and collected. Koki’o became extirpated from the wild in 1918. Seeds from this collection produced only one seedling that survived past 1933. This one remaining seedling was planted at a Kauluwai residence on Moloka‘i, and produced over 130 seedlings though none of these plants have persisted. In the late 1950ʹs, the single plant at Kauluwai, Moloka‘i died and it was presumed extinct. In 1970, a single plant of the species was discovered at the Moloka‘i residence, probably a surviving relic of the previous cultivated plant. But in 1978, a fire destroyed the last remaining rooted plant of Kokia cookei. Fortunately, before it was destroyed, a branch was removed and later grafted onto a related species at the Waimea Arboretum. Currently, Koki’o exists as approximately 23 grafted plants.
Distribution
The full natural range of Koki’o cannot be determined due to the near complete loss of native, dryland forest on Moloka‘i. Now only found in cultivation.
Habitat
The only historical habitat is dryland forest on the western (leeward) end of Moloka‘i near Mahana, northeast of Puu Nana at approximately 200 meters (660 feet) elevation.
Threats
- Exotic invasive plants
- Heavy grazing from goats, deer, sheep and cattle
- Habitat conversion as a result of agricultural practices
- Seed predation by rats
- Low number of individuals and populations
- Lack of naturally rooted plants
- Lack of viable seed production.
References & Additional Resources
For more information and references visit the State Wildlife Action Plan factsheets. DOFAWʻs species pages and State Wildlife Action Plan fact sheets are provided for general information and are not meant to be a citable, original source of data. If you are a student, researcher, or writer looking for a citable source, please explore the references below or find other original data sources, rather than citing these webpages. The references below were provided by the authors of the State Wildlife Action Plan fact sheets at the time of drafting:
Center for Plant Conservation, 2005. National Collection of Endangered Plants. https://www.centerforplantconservation.org/ASP/CPC_NCList_Quick.asp.
Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Program. 2005. Hawaii Natural Heritage Program Search, https://www.hinhp.org.
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2004, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Data Base Search, https://www.redlist.org/search/search‐basic.html.
US Fish and Wildlife Service. 1979. Final Listing, Endangered ETWP; Determination that Kokia cookei is an Endangered Species, State of Hawaii, Vol. 44, No. 211 (10‐30‐1979), 44 FR 62470 62471, 2 pp.
Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and D. H. Lorence. 2005. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands website. https://ravenel.si.edu/botany/pacificislandbiodiversity/hawaiianflora/index.htm [August, 2005].
Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R., and Sohmer, S.H., 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaiʹi‐‐ Revised Edition. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press. 1853p.
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