Hibiscus surattensis L.

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.

Herb

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Shrub

Flowering and fruiting: October-January

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: September—February.

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.

Herbs or undershrubs, erect in initial stages becoming scandent ultimately, about 0.5-4 m long. Stems and branches pubescent with simple and stiff recurved bristles. Leaves simple, alternate, lower ones 3-5 palmilobed, upper ones 3-5 palmiparted, broadly ovate to suborbicular, about 3-8 x 3-10 cm across, base truncate or rounded 5-7 veined, lobes linear lanceolate, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, margins irregular crenate-serrate, apex acute to acuminate, with simple and stellate hairs both above and beneath becoming glabrescent ultimately, petiole with simple and recurved bristles, about 3-9 cm long, stipules ovate-lanceolate, foliaceous, base auricled, margins ciliate with simple hairs, apex acute, about 5-25 x 6-15 mm across. Inflorescence usually axillary, solitary, by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, with simple and stellate hairs, jointed near the apex, about 3-7 cm long, epicalyx 10, spathulate, base connate, with linear erect filiform appendages, near the apex of each segments, about 15-20 x 2-3 mm across, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, lobes ovate-deltoid, base connate, apex acuminate, valvate, tri-veined, glabrous inside, with simple and recurved prickles outside, persistent, about 10-25 x 5-10 mm across, corolla showy and large, yellow, and purple at the base, campanulate, petals obovate, sparsely stellate-pubescent along margins, about 3-5 x 1.5-3 cm across. Staminal column about 0.5-1.5 cm long, base wide, anthers basifixed, throughout. Ovary superior, 5 locular, conical, axile placentation, style about 2-2.5 mm long, stigma discoid, capitate, hairy. Fruit capsule, globose, about 1.2 x 1 cm across, apex acute, beaked, dehiscing loculicidally, with rigid bristle shiny hairs. Seeds reniform or subglobose, about 3-4 mm across, covered with minute strigose hair, brownish black.

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

Notes: Moist Deciduous Forests. Also in Plains

Moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Scrub forests and forest margins, altitude up to 1200 m.

Forest margins, open slopes, streamsides

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Medicinal

Stem and leaves decoction used in Sidha and folk medicine. Stem yields good fibre.