Hibiscus surattensis L.

Malvaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Herbaceous, trailing or climbing

Morphology General Indumentum

Stems with spreading hairs and recurved prickles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow with red centre.

Malvaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, prostrate or climbing or scrambling up to 3 m.; stems hispid and/or pubescent and sparsely to rather densely aculeate.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina up to 10 × 10 cm., broadly ovate to suborbicular in outline, sparsely hispid on both surfaces and aculeate on the nerves beneath, palmately 3–5-lobed (sometimes only shallowly) to palmatipartite; segments elliptic, somewhat constricted towards the base, rather coarsely toothed; petiole up to 11 cm. long, hairy like the stems; stipules up to 15 × 10 mm., broad, auriculate, ± amplexicaul.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers up to 10 cm. in diam., yellow with purple centre, solitary, axillary; peduncle up to 6–7 cm. long, hispid and aculeate, articulated 3–7 mm. below the apex and often more densely hispid above the articulation.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx

Epicalyx of 8–9 bracts; bracts 10–15 mm. long, forked with the inner branch linear and inflexed and the outer branch spathulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 10-veined, becoming scarious; lobes up to 25 × 10 mm., ovate-lanceolate, usually somewhat rigid with long sharp apices, setose and aculeate on the median and marginal nerves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals up to 5 × 3·5 cm., obovate, glabrous or nearly so.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube up to 15 mm. long; free parts of filaments 1·5–2·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style branching 5 mm. above the apex of the staminal tube; branches 2–2·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 15 × 12 mm., globose-ovoid, densely appressed-pilose, apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3–3·5 × 2·5 mm., subreniform, with a few minute white appressed-stellate hairs.

Malvaceae, Bernard Verdcourt & Geoffrey Mwachala. Pavonia, B Verdcourt; Kosteletzkya, OJ Blanchard Jr.; Gossypium, P Fryxell & B Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Type

Type: not designated (see note below).

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, prostrate or climbing or scrambling up to 3 m.

Morphology Stem

Stems hispid and/or pubescent and sparsely to rather densely aculeate

Morphology Leaves

Leaves broadly ovate to suborbicular in outline, 4–11 cm long, 3–10 cm, palmately 3–5-lobed (sometimes not lobed or only shallowly so) to palmatipartite, apex acute or acuminate, base truncate or shallowly cordate, margin coarsely toothed, sparsely hispid on both surfaces and aculeate on the veins beneath; petiole 3–15 cm long, sparsely pilose, aculeate, the prickles on a swollen base, recurved, with an adaxial line of pubescence; stipules auriculate, ± amplexicaul, 15–20 × 7–10 mm, sparsely pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary in the leaf axils; pedicel up to 6–7 cm long, hispid above the articulation; epicalyx of 8–9 bracts 10–15 mm long, forked with the inner branch linear and inflexed and the outer branch spatulate; calyx lobes ovate-lanceolate, 12–25 × 5–10 mm, usually somewhat rigid with long sharp apices, hispid and aculeate on the median and marginal veins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow with purple patch at base, 3–5 cm long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube 12–15 mm long, filaments 1.5–2.5 mm long; exserted part of styles 7–9 mm long, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose-ovoid, 12 –15 mm long, 10–12 mm diameter, apex acute, densely appressed-pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds grey-brown, subreniform, 3–3.5 mm × 2.5 mm, with scattered appressed ovate scales.

Ecology

Grassland, bushland and forest; 0–1700 m

Note

Borssum Waalkes in Blumea 14: 58 (1966), and others have treated 875.29 (LINN) (K!, microfiche) as the type, but the sheet lacks the relevant Species Plantarum number (i.e. “12”), and was a post-1753 addition to the collection, and is not original material for the name.

Distribution

Flora districts: U2 U3 U 4 ; K3 K4 K7 T1 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 ZP Range: Widespread in tropical Africa, India, southeast Asia