File:Kokia cookei (6277304930) (2).jpg

Kokiʻo, hau hele ʻula or Cooke's kokia Malvaceae Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Molokaʻi only; now extinct in the wild) IUCN: Critically Endangered; Extinct in Wild Oʻahu (Cultivated)

Hawaiian name is from hau, an introduced hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus), perhaps by early Hawaiians. Hau hele ʻula literally means "red traveling hau."

This species is so rare that uses by early Hawaiians are not known. However, the two very rare remaining species, Kokia drynarioides (Hawaiʻi Island) and K. kauaiensis (Kauaʻi), were also formerly used by the early Hawaiians and so this species may have had similar uses as well. The flowers were used to make spectacular lei. The flower petals made pink and lavender dyes.

Sap from the bark produced a dark red waterproof dye for fishnets. The dual-purpose resinous dye would extend the life of the fishing nets and the red color underwater is nearly invisible to fish, thus the fishermen could catch more. Medicinally, the bark was also used to cure thrush.

Kokia drynarioides and K. kauaiensis have helped to save Kokia cookei from total extinction. Because Kokia cookei currently does not produce viable seed, it now survives only by grafted scions (a shoot with a bud) on rootstock from either of its two close relatives. Efforts are being made by micropropagation to help save this species, one of the planet's rarest plants.