General Information

COMMON NAMES: Red Hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus, Chinese Rose-mallow, Blacking Plant, Scarlet-double Hibiscus [Polynesian introduced]; German Roseneibisch; French Hibiscus TRADITIONAL NAMES: Kaute / Kaute ‘Enua (RR MG AT MT AK), Kaute / Kaute ‘Enua / Kaute Kumu (MK), Hibiscus / Kaute (PL), Kaute / Kaute Kula (TS), Kaute / Kaute Kura (TW), Kaute (MH RK PK NS); COMMENT: Kaute ‘Enua is the usual name for the Double-scarlet Hibiscus GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE se.Asia - China COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Polynesian + Recent, Not naturalised; Scarlet-double [S.Group - widespread and common, mainly the large form; N.Group - uncommon, mainly large form]; modern varieties [S.Group - widespread and common, N.Group - widespread and occassional]; Land, lowlands, horticulural - gardens (mountains (++), Scarlet-double only) SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine, Ornamental flowers KEY FEATURES: Shrub to 2.5m. Scarlet-double form: LEAVES alternate, glossy dark green; wide-triangular, to 13x9cm, base rounded, tip sharp, edge with large obtuse teeth; stalk to 4cm, with 2 slender (10x1mm) stipules at base. FLOWER axillary, solitary, stalk to 8cm; head to 12cmØ; petals scarlet, many, large (to wide-obovate 70x60mm); bracts (=epicalyx) ~7, radiating, slender, to 20x4mm, green; sepals hugging the petals, cup-like with wide-triangular lobes, green. FRUIT nil. Modern forms to do

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

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

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
++	++?	++?	+	P	P

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linnaeus
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); DILLENIIDAE; Malvales; MALVACEAE

GENERAL NOTE: The two or three forms of the Scarlet-double Hibiscus were introduced by the early Polynesian settlers. The largest form is common in the mountains of Rarotonga and in gardens, and on the Southern Group Outer Islands; the smallest form is in gardens and is similar to the form collected in Tahiti on Captain Cook's first voyage; the third form is intermediate in size, has petals with shallow lobes, grows in gardens, and it may also be an ancient introduction. The Single-red Hibiscus is a common hedge plant and is an early post-European Contact introduction. There is some evidence that this form was derived from the form with the terminal petals and or the Fringed Hibiscus. The Fringed Hibiscus, long considered a different species, is now known to have arisen as a mutation (="sport") on a plant of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The many other forms of Hibiscus are all bred cultivares. The longer lasting, firm petalled forms are often called Hawaiian cultivares because several were bred in those islands.

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: fieldspecimen, 2/2004, single-red only, rare in villages, ID GMcC.

References:
p.556 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.629 Tropica
p.2/419 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.274 A Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.72 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.368b Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.56 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD05a

Web Resources

• Google
• Google Images