White Moloka'i Hibiscus

August is a month that wears a hibiscus crown! At least that is my opinion, when one includes all the varieties in the family Malvaceae one is likely to encounter in neighbors' yards, gardens and nurseries ... and growing almost spontaneously around lakes and dams, bathing our summer days in glories of red, yellow, white, purple/mauve and pink.

Last week I wrote haiku and posted pictures of White Hibiscus. Some of our AC readers expected more information on this threatened White Hibiscus flower. I am happy to oblige. One of the the White Hibiscus (three kinds) is that they are very fragrant as compared with the mildly fragrant Hibiscus one encounters generally.

Eleven kinds of Hibiscus are native to Hawaa'i; already one has gone extinct. The subspecies Immaculatus -- which I think also recalls Mary, of the Immaculate Conception -- is almost pure white including the stamens and petals. There are three Hawaa'ian Hibiscus in this subspecies, of which the Moloka'i or White Hibiscus is the rarest. But all three of these subspecies are endangered. The good news is that eforts are being made to save this beautiful, snowy-wonderful flower.

The main culprits that eat hibiscus and most anything are feral goats. However, this notorious culprit is not alone, because humans are great at shifting blame. Who brought the goats to Hawaa'i and allowed them to go feral? Humans, right? These humans also damage the environment in so many ways that this enviropnmental degradation and pollution is an equal culprit in the passing of species of fauna and flora from our Planet Earth. There is another way humans may have contributed to this state of species endangerment related to the Moloka'i Hibiscus: inbreeding and resulting lower fertility.

The efforts being made to help save opur flowers on Hawaa'i include enclosures for the four known populations on Moloka'i, and enclosing the feral goats in some cases. These measures necessitate more study and careful breeding, seed collection and storage ... which are being done by Conservation Groups and Botanical Societies in Hawaa'i and on the mainland. Praise God and Humanity for conservation efforts, groups and donors, vounteers and well-wishers. Shalom