Hibiscus panduriformis Burm. f.

Hibiscus species are herbs, undershrubs or shrubs. Stems woody, branches densely or sparsely pubescent or tomentose with simple, scarbid or stellate hairs or glabrous. Leaves simple, palmilobed or palmiparted, alternate, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, 3 or more basal veins, margins crenate-dentate or entire, apex acute to acuminate, petiolate, stipules linear, subulate, ovate or foliaceous. Inflorescence usually axillary or terminal, solitary or racemes or lax panicles, by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, epicalyx 3 or more, base connate, rarely absent, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, base connate, valvate, sometimes with nectarines, persistent, corolla showy and large, yellow, white, orange, purple, red, blue and dark colored at the base, campanulate or cylindric. Staminal column usually shorter or almost as long petals, base wide, filaments apex truncate or 5-dentate, anthers basifixed, throughout or in the upper half. Ovary superior, 5 locular, rarely up to 10 locular, axile placentation, ovules 3 or more per locule, style 1 or 5 branched distally, stigma discoid, capitate or not distinct. Fruit capsule, globose-cylindrical, apex apiculate, acute or acuminate, dehiscing loculicidally, glabrous or hairy. Seed many, reniform or subglobose, smooth, glabrous or hairy.

Shrub

Hibiscus species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: October—January.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual, perennial or undershrubs, about 1-3.5 m tall. Stems woody, stout, stem and branches velutinous to tomentose with short simple and shining prickly stellate hairs, about 3-5 mm long. Leaves simple, alternate, palmilobed, broadly ovate-cordate, about 2-16 x 0.6-11 cm across, base 5-9 nerved, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, 3-7 lobed with deltoid acuminate segments, margins coarsely serrate, apex acute to acuminate, with stellate velutinous hairs above and cinereously stellate velutinous to tomentose beneath, petiole stellate velutinous hairy, about 2-15 cm long, stipules 2-3 parted, segments filiform, caducous, about 5 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary, solitary, or terminal lax racemes, stellate velutinous to tomentose, by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, bud densely hairy at the apex, pedicel slender, jointed near apex, stellate velutinous to tomentose, about 5-15 mm long, epicalyx 6-10, usually shorter than calyx, base connate, stellate velutinous, persistent, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, lobes lanceolate, base connate till middle, apex acute to obtuse, valvate, sometimes with nectarines, persistent, about 15-20 x 3-5 mm across, corolla showy and large, yellow and purple at the base, obovate, apex obtuse, campanulate, inside white glandular hairy, stellate tomentose outside, about 15-30 x 25 mm across. Staminal column about 10-15 mm long, base wide, filaments dark purple, anthers basifixed, throughout. Ovary superior, 5 locular, about 7-9 mm long, pubescent, axile placentation, style 3 or 5 branched distally, stigma discoid, capitate. Fruit capsule, globose-ovoid, about 1.5 cm across, apex acute, dehiscing loculicidally, with hirsute. Seeds reniform or subglobose, about 2-2.5 mm across, ribbed concentrically, glabrous to densely hairy, brownish.

Hibiscus species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Near streams and ponds of scrub and deciduous forests and near cultivated places, altitude up to 900 m.

Open scrub lands

Not evaluated (IUCN).