Hibiscus lobatus (Murray) Kuntze

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

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb

Flowering and fruiting: July-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: July—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 herbs, about 25-100 cm tall. Stems erect, pubescent with simple short hair, rarely with few stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, palmilobed, broadly ovate, about 2-9 x 1.5-7.5 cm across, base cordate, truncate to cuneate, 3-5 veined, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, lower leaves 3 lobed, lobes deltoid, ovate, lanceolate or obovate, margins crenate-serrate or obscurely serrate, apex acute to acuminate, pubescent with simple and tribrachiate stellate hairs both above and beneath, petiole adpressed pubescent with simple hairs rarely with stellate hairs, about 2-9 cm long, stipules linear filiform, pubescent with simple hairs rarely with stellate hairs, about 4-8 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary, solitary or terminal racemes, by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, pubescent, about 0.5-1 cm long, accrescent up to 6 cm long, jointed r the apex, epicalyx 6-8, about 1 mm long in bud, caducous before anthesis, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, lobes broadly lanceolate, base connate, apex acute to acuminate, about 5-10 x 1-2 mm across, valvate, sometimes with nectarines, persistent, densely hispid with simple and glandular hairs outside, glabrous inside, corolla showy and large, yellow, cream white, campanulate. Staminal column about 4-6 mm long, anthers basifixed, throughout. Ovary superior, 5 locular, axile placentation, ovules 3 or -4. Fruit capsule, globose-cylindrical, about 1-1.5 cm across, apex acute, dehiscing loculicidally, smooth inside, simple and tribrachiate stellate hairy outside. Seeds many, tetragonous or subglobose, about 1.5 mm across, covered with somewhat whitish scales, tubercled, glabrous, brownish black.

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

Notes: Moist and Dry deciduous forest

Moist and dry deciduous forests

Forests, villages, near roadsides, cultivated fields, altitude up to 1500 m.

Moist open forests

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Leaves and roots used in folk medicine.