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Hibiscus australensis cf.

Kaute

Polynesian Maroon Hibiscus

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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Image:	Leaf and flower	40KB
Image:	Flower and bud	72KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Polynesian Maroon Hibiscus

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Kaute (RR)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Southeast Polynesia (Rarotonga, Australs)

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native, Endemic of se.Polynesia; Land, mountains (+)

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Nationally endangered (critically)

KEY FEATURES: Sprawling shrub. LEAVES alternate, maple-like, to 13x13cm, furry; stalk to 7cm, furry, ±sparsely-scattered thorns to 1mm. FLOWER to 7cmØ; petals maroon, overlapping, round, 4x4cm; bracts and sepals rigid, covered with stiff hairs to 3mm; anthers short yellow, covering style. FRUIT pyramidal, 2x2cm within sepals, 5 sections, each ~6 seeds; opens when ripe.

Enlarged Image of 'Hibiscus australensis cf.'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea: -
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+L	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Northern Group: -
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Hibiscus australensis cf.
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); DILLENIIDAE; Malvales; MALVACEAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
BIODIVERSITY: Nationally endangered (critically). Comment: Known from one very small site in a fernland on Rarotonga.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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