Post by Melanie on Jan 6, 2007 19:53:01 GMT 1
Kokia cookei, also known by its common Hawaiian name as Koki`o, is a
small deciduous (sheds seasonally or by stages) tree. The only wild
individual of this century was about 10 feet in height.
This tree is known only from the island of Moloka`i and has been
described as the rarest plant in the world. When it was discovered in
the 1860s, only three trees of the species were found. By the 20th
century, only a single wild tree of K. cookei could be found. The
species was wiped out from the wild in 1918.
Currently, there are no naturally occurring populations. The species
exists only in cultivation at two locations and in managed
outplantings at three sites. The total number of individual plants is
10.
Habitat & Distribution:
Historically, K. cookei was found in the wild only in remnant dryland
forest near Mahana, northeast of Pu`u Nana, western Moloka`i, at
approximately 660 feet. The former habitat of K. cookei appears most
similar to modern dryland forest at Kanepuu, Lanai`, and leeward
(northeast) Haleakala, Maui, at 1,000-2,000 feet elevation. Today,
this tree is extinct in the wild. Ten grafted plants are found in
five different locations on the islands of Maui, Moloka`i, and O`ahu.
Recovery:
K. cookei was added to the Federal list of endangered and threatened
species in 1979. Historically, the reasons for the decline and
eventual extinction of this tree were habitat conversion, introduced
grazing mammals, loss of native pollinators, and seed predation by
insect larvae. The current threats are low number of individuals and
populations, lack of naturally rooted plants, and lack of viable seed
production.
The State of Hawai`i has tried five types of propagation with K.
cookei seeds; cuttings; grafting; tissue culture; and air layering.
Considerable effort to propagate this tree has been carried out by
several private individuals and nongovernmental organizations such as
the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Waimea Arboretum and
Botanical Garden, the University of Hawai`i's Lyon Arboretum, and The
Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i.
Despite the heroic efforts to save this species, K. cookei is not
safe from the threat of extinction. The recovery plan identifies
three essential goals that must be met to reduce the chances of
random naturally occurring events causing the extinction of this
tree: increase the number of individuals and natural populations,
produce K. cookei plants that produce viable seeds, and reestablish
the species in native habitat that can sustain natural reproduction
of the species.
pacificislands.fws.gov/wesa/kokiaindex.html
small deciduous (sheds seasonally or by stages) tree. The only wild
individual of this century was about 10 feet in height.
This tree is known only from the island of Moloka`i and has been
described as the rarest plant in the world. When it was discovered in
the 1860s, only three trees of the species were found. By the 20th
century, only a single wild tree of K. cookei could be found. The
species was wiped out from the wild in 1918.
Currently, there are no naturally occurring populations. The species
exists only in cultivation at two locations and in managed
outplantings at three sites. The total number of individual plants is
10.
Habitat & Distribution:
Historically, K. cookei was found in the wild only in remnant dryland
forest near Mahana, northeast of Pu`u Nana, western Moloka`i, at
approximately 660 feet. The former habitat of K. cookei appears most
similar to modern dryland forest at Kanepuu, Lanai`, and leeward
(northeast) Haleakala, Maui, at 1,000-2,000 feet elevation. Today,
this tree is extinct in the wild. Ten grafted plants are found in
five different locations on the islands of Maui, Moloka`i, and O`ahu.
Recovery:
K. cookei was added to the Federal list of endangered and threatened
species in 1979. Historically, the reasons for the decline and
eventual extinction of this tree were habitat conversion, introduced
grazing mammals, loss of native pollinators, and seed predation by
insect larvae. The current threats are low number of individuals and
populations, lack of naturally rooted plants, and lack of viable seed
production.
The State of Hawai`i has tried five types of propagation with K.
cookei seeds; cuttings; grafting; tissue culture; and air layering.
Considerable effort to propagate this tree has been carried out by
several private individuals and nongovernmental organizations such as
the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Waimea Arboretum and
Botanical Garden, the University of Hawai`i's Lyon Arboretum, and The
Nature Conservancy of Hawai`i.
Despite the heroic efforts to save this species, K. cookei is not
safe from the threat of extinction. The recovery plan identifies
three essential goals that must be met to reduce the chances of
random naturally occurring events causing the extinction of this
tree: increase the number of individuals and natural populations,
produce K. cookei plants that produce viable seeds, and reestablish
the species in native habitat that can sustain natural reproduction
of the species.
pacificislands.fws.gov/wesa/kokiaindex.html
