Hibiscus radiatus Cav.

Herb / Undershrub

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.

 A small shrub growing about 1meter tall with pink or magenttha flowers. Pink or Magentha tinted leaves and stems have small prickles.

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: August—February/October—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, about 1-2 m tall. Stems erect or decumbent, reddish tinged, very sparsely pubescent with prickles and with the line of simple curved hairs, becoming glabrescent later. Leaves alternate, palmilobed or palmiparted, broadly ovate to oblong, about 2.5-12 x 2-11 cm across, base cuneate to truncate, 3-5 veined, midrib usually with obscure nectarines, 3-5 lobed sometimes 6-7 lobed, lobes linear lanceolate to oblong-obovate, margins coarsely dentate-serrate to entire, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous above and with sparse retrorse prickles beneath, petiole with stiff hairs above, coppery red when young, about 2-14 cm long, stipules linear lanceolate with stiff bristles, about 5-8 mm long. Inflorescence usually axillary, solitary, by the reduction of the upper leaves. Flowers bisexual, pedicel slender, jointed in the middle, pubescent below the middle, about 0.3-1.5 cm long, epicalyx 8-15, base connate, apex forked with one leaf lobe, about 1.5-2 mm long, calyx 5 lobed, distinctly nerved, campanulate, lobes broadly lanceolate, base connate, apex acute to acuminate, valvate, without nectarines, persistent, accrescent up to 2.5 mm long, about 1.5-2 cm long, corolla showy and large, yellow, and purple at the base, campanulate, petals obovate, glabrous inside, sparsely hairy outside, up to 6 cm long. Staminal column about 1.5-2.2 cm long, base wide, anthers basifixed, throughout laxly. Ovary superior, 5 locular, axile placentation, style about 1.5-2.4 cm long, stigma discoid, capitate. Fruit capsule, globose-cylindrical, about 2-2.5 x 1.5 cm across, apex beaked, pinkish brown, dehiscing loculicidally by 5 valves, with densely with simple long bristles, caducous. Seeds reniform or subglobose, about 4 mm across, scales scabrous fimbriate, olive green when young, ultimately dark brownish.

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

Notes: Grown as ornamental. Native of Eastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar

In mixed and deciduous forests.

Cultivated

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Cultivated in gardens as ornamental.