Hibiscus brackenridgei subsp. mokuleianus

Description:

Mao hau heleMalvaceae (Mallow family)Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Oahu only)IUCN: EndangeredOahu (Cultivated)This subspecies grows to be a small tree.Mao hau hele was planted for an ornamental use by early Hawaiians.Hibiscus brackenridgei has been chosen to represent the official flower for the State of Hawaii. (See story at the website below)EtymologyThe generic name Hibiscus is derived from hibiscos, the Greek name for mallow.The specific epithet brackenridgei is named after William Dunlop Brackenridge (1810-1893), Scottish-American horticulturist and superintendent of the National Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C.The subspecies mokuleianus is named for Mokulia, an area in the northern Waianae Mountains, Oahu where this subspecies is found.NPH00023nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Hibiscus_brackenridgei...