Myrsine knudsenii in 2010. Myrsine knudsenii Myrsine knudsenii, the Kokee colicwood, is a species of tree in the primrose family. It is endemic to the island of Kauai in Hawaii. It is threatened by habitat loss. This is a shrub or tree growing up to 4.5 meters tall with flowers occurring in clusters along the branches. It grows in moist forests dominated by "Acacia koa", "Metrosideros polymorpha", and "Dicranopteris linearis". It probably once occurred in several other types of ecosystem. There are three populations left, for a total of about 30 trees. It was federally listed as an endangered species of the
Koa wilt mortality rate over several years due to Koa wilt. It is also a legume, giving it the ability to form symbiosis with nitrogen fixing bacteria, which has led to efforts to use koa in agroecological systems with crops such as coffee and cacao. Ecologically, koa is an important species because it is one of the few native trees that remains dominant in alien mixed forests on the Hawaiian Islands. Invasive species make up the majority of the State's current plant population. Koa trees also are important because provide a habitat for many native bird species. Historically, there were once two