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Hibiscus hirtus
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Family:
MALVACEAE
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Citation: Hibiscus hirtus L., Sp. Pl. 694. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 335. 1874; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 97(70). 1915; T.K. Paul in B.D. Sharma & Sanjappa, Fl. India 3: 329. 1993; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 79. 1994; Sivar. & Pradeep, Malvac. Southern Peninsular India 94. 1996; M. Mohanan & A.V.N. Rao in P. Daniel, Fl. Kerala 1: 412. 2005.
Hibiscus phoeniceus Cav., Diss. 3: 157, t.67. f.2. 1787, non Jacq. 1776.
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Malayalam Name(s):
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Lesser Mallow white
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Description:
Herb or undershrubs, 1-1.5 m high; stems erect, pubescent with simple stiff minute stellate hairs.Leaves alternate, lower ones ovate, rounded or cuneate at base, crenate-serrate or irregularly toothed at margin, acute to acuminate at apex, 3-6 x 2-3 cm, 3-5 nerved at base, often with an oblong nectary on midnerve beneath, minutely pubescent with stellate hairs; petioles 0.5-1.5 cm long, with long stellate and simple hairs; stipules linear, 2-8 mm long, ciliate. Flowers axillary, solitary or seemingly in racemes or panicles by reduction of upper leaves; pedicels longer than petioles, 0.5-2 cm, accrescent to 5 cm, jointed below or above middle, pubescent. Epicalyx lobes 6-9, free, lanceolate to linear or subulate, acute, 3-8 x 0.5-1 mm. Calyx ca 1.5 cm across, 5-fid or parted; lobes divided nearly to base, linear-lanceolate, hairy, persistent. Corolla rotate, pink or white. Petals obovate, 1-1.5 x 0.5-0.8 mm, rounded at apex. Staminal column shorter than or as long as petals. Ovary subglobose, ca 2 mm across; stigmas capitate. Capsules globose, 7-10 mm, shorter than calyx; seeds 2 or 3 in each locule, reniform, ca 2 mm across, densely covered with long wooly hairs.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
December-March
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District(s):
Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Malappuram, Kozhikkode
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also cultivated as an ornamental
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Distribution:
Indo-Malesia
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Pink, White
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
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