Hibiscus lunariifolius Willd.

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.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Shrub

Flowering and fruiting: October-February

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—November.

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, about 1.5-4 m tall. Stems woody, pubescent with simple, sharp, tribrachiate and stiff stellate hairs, becoming glabresent ultimately. Leaves alternate, palmilobed, broadly cordate to orbicular, about 2-15 x 1-18 cm across, base cordate, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, 3-5 lobed, margins coarsely crenate-serrate, apex acute to acuminate, with sparsely or densely stellate hairy with simple and tribrachiate hairs both above and beneath, petiole pubescent with stellate hairy with simple and tribrachiate hairs, about 1-15 cm long, stipules subulate, setaceous, about 15-17 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary, solitary or racemes by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, dense with stellate hairs, inarticulate, about 5-10 mm long, epicalyx 5-10, linear or narrow lanceolate, base connate, alternating with calyx lobes, glabrescent, about 10-20 x 1-2 mm across, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, lobes broadly lanceolate, base connate, apex acute to acuminate, valvate, sometimes with nectarines, persistent, corolla showy, yellow and purple at the base, campanulate, glabrous inside, stellate pubescent outside, about 6-10 mm across. Staminal column about 1.5-3 mm long, base wide, anthers basifixed, throughout. Ovary superior, 5 locular, ovoid-oblong, pubescent, about 5-7 mm long, axile placentation, style 5 branched distally. Fruit capsule, globose-obovoid about 2-2.5 x 1.5-1.8 cm across, apex acute, dehiscing loculicidally by 5 valves, glabrous inside, stellate hairy outside. Seeds reniform or subglobose, about 2-2.5 mm across, covered with minute stellate hairy, blackish.

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

Dry and moist deciduous forests

Scrub and deciduous forests.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.