Hibiscus brakenridgei

Status: Critically Endangered habitat loss from human development, and competition from invasive species.

A Micronesian folktale:

A chief had a beautiful daughter, and he proclaimed that whoever was able to bring him the moon would be able to marry her. A boy took up this challenge, and his mother instructed him to go to heaven first, where he was given gifts of two plovers, two roosters, a pandanus fruit, and a hibiscus stick.

The moon belonged to Yalulep. The boy went to Yalulep‘s house, and using his wiles, he blended in with the guards until everyone had fallen asleep, and then he stole away with the moon, running as fast as he could back to earth. When Yalulep sent pursuit, the boy threw his gifts behind him one at a time. The plovers fought and caused the pursuers to pause and watch. The roosters also fought and again pursuit halted to watch. The pandanus grew into a great jungle thwarting passage, and the hibiscus grew into a dense forest. At last the final remaining runners got caught in the tangled branches of the hibiscus, and the boy reached home with the moon. He presented it to the chief and married the chief‘s daughter.