Kokio-keokeo. Plate 8 from the book: Indigenous flowers of the Hawaiian Islands

Plate 8 of 44 from Isabella Sinclair's Indigenous flowers of the Hawaiian Islands (1885). The coloured illustration is accompanied by the following text describing the plant:

The Kokio-Keokeo.

Hibiscus Arnottianus, A. Gray, forma.

This shrub, or tree, generally grows on the sides of rocky ravines, and is usually found from one thousand to two thousand feet above sea level. It attains a height of about twenty feet, and, when in full flower, is a most beautiful and attractive shrub - the delicate white of the petals, and the pink of the showy stamens, forming a charming contrast with the dark green leaves.

It is quite erratic in its seasons, sometimes blooming late in autumn, and sometimes in spring; being accelerated or retarded by the wetness or dryness of the season. It is to be feared the Kokio-keokeo is doomed to early extinction, as in many places where it was plentiful a few years ago, not a single plant is now to be seen - owing partly to the ravages of cattle and goats, and partly to the changing flora of the islands.

No doubt, at one time it formed a frequent and beautiful feature in the landscape, as it is often mentioned in ancient Hawaiian songs and legends.