Pavonia leptocalyx (Sond.) Ulbr.

Pavonia species herbs, undershrubs or shrubs. Stems erect, branches pubescent with stellate hairs and sometimes glabrate. Leaves alternate, simple or lobed, orbicular-ovate to lanceolate-elliptic, base truncate to cordate, margins entire or crenate-dentate, apex acute to acuminate, petiolate, stipules linear subulate, filiform, persistent. Inflorescence usually axillary solitary, terminal panicles or racemes, by the reduction of upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, jointed above the middle, epicalyx segments 5-12, base free or connate sometimes, calyx 5 lobed or toothed, campanulate or tubular, persistent, corolla showy, yellow, white, red, pink. Staminal column almost as long as petals, anthers basifixed, througout. Ovary 5 carpellate, ovules 1 per locule, style 10, 2 per carpel, stigma 10, capitate. Fruit indehiscent, schizocarp, oblate or discoid, not angled, minutely pubescent or glabrous, mericarps 5, reniform, winged or not, veined reticulately. Seed 1 in each mericarp, reniform, glabrous or hairy.

Pavonia 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: August—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, odorous, erect, about 15-40 cm tall. Stems, branches, petioles, pedicels pubescent with simple glandular hairs. Leaves alternate, simple or 3-5 lobed, ovate-orbicular to lanceolate, about 3-10 x 2-7 cm across, base truncate to cordate, obscurely 3-7 veined, margins irregularly dentate, apex acute to acuminate, sparsely stellate pubescent above and densely beneath, petiole glandular pubescent, about 1-8 cm long, stipules linear subulate, filiform, stellate hairy, caducous, about 2-3 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary solitary. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, jointed above the middle near apex, densely stellate hairy and with spreading simple hairs, about 1.5-4 cm long, accrescent up to 6 cm long, epicalyx segments 10-12, linear, base free, linear, ciliate hairs, persistent, about 10-15 mm long calyx 5 lobed or toothed, campanulate or tubular, base shortly connate sometimes up to middle, persistent, lobes lanceolate-ovate, hairy with simple hairs on both sides, about 3-5 x 1.5-2 mm across, corolla showy, pink, petals obovate, glabrous, about 12-20 x 5-8 mm across. Staminal column shorter petals, anthers basifixed, througout. Ovary 5 carpellate, globose, ovules 1 per locule, style 10, 2 per carpel, stigma 10, capitate. Fruit indehiscent, schizocarp, oblate or discoid, about 4-5 mm across, not angled, minutely pubescent, mericarps 5, reniform, about 4 x 2 mm across, not winged, smooth, glabrous. Seed 1 in each mericarp, reniform, about 2 mm across, papillose minutely, blackish brown.

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

Cultivated in gardens.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Cultivated in gardens for its scented flowers, roots used for manufacturing perfume “Hina”. Leaves are edible. Used in Ayurveda, Sidha, Tibetian and folk medicine.