Hibiscus lobatus (Murray) Kuntze

Hibiscus lobatus is the only species of Hibiscus in China that lacks an epicalyx.

Annual, erect, pubescent, 25 cm-1 m tall herbs. Leaves very variable, 1-5 cm long, 0.7-4.5 cm broad, shallowly cordate-rounded at base, acute-acuminate at apex, serrate, lower ones ovate or somewhat orbicular, not lobed, upper ones usually 3-5 fid to partite with rounded sinuses, sometimes linear, lanceolate or lyrate, simple hairy on both sides, lower side also mixed with stellate hairs; stipules linear, 2-4 mm long, with ciliate margin, petiole 1-3.5 cm long, usually with short simple hairs. Flowers axillary, solitary or in terminal racemes by reduction of leaves; pedicel equal to longer than petiole, pubescent, articulate near the apex. Epicalyx segments absent or rarely represented by minute teeth. Calyx free below the middle, 3-5 mm long, in fruit up to 10 mm long, pubescent without, glabrous within; lobes lanceolate, 1-2 mm broad. Corolla c. 2 cm across, white-pale yellow; petals obovate, 5-10 mm long, 4-6 mm broad. Staminal column pink. shorter than or equalling the petals. Ovary ovoid, 2 mm across. Capsule oblong or ovoid, beaked, slightly hairy, c. 1 cm long, 5-7 mm across. Seeds reniform, 1.5-2 mm across, black, minutely hairy.

Herbs annual, erect, 50-70 cm tall. Branchlets puberulent (hairs simple) and rarely sparsely stellate hairy. Stipules lanceolate, ca. 3(-8) mm, villous; petiole as long as or slightly longer than leaf blade, stellate, puberulent and villous; leaf blade membranous, dimorphic; blades on proximal part of stem ovate-orbicular, 1.5-3 cm, those in middle 3-parted, ca. 5 cm, on distal part of stem nearly divided or 3-foliate, margin roundly dentate, stellate pilose and puberulent abaxially, pilose adaxially. Flowers solitary or arranged in sparse racemes, axillary. Pedicel 2-2.5 cm, pilose, articulate near end. Epicalyx absent. Calyx cup-shaped, ca. 4 mm, membranous, lobes 5, lanceolate, abaxially pilose and strigose, persistent. Corolla yellow; petals 0.6-0.7 cm. Staminal column ca. 0.4 cm. Styles 5, extending. Capsule broadly ovoid, ca. 7 mm, apex beaked; mericarps 5, endocarp thin, villous along ventral suture. Seeds with scalelike hairs. Fl. Oct-Dec.

Tropical Africa, Madagascar, Himalaya, India, Ceylon, Burma, Malaysia.

Distribution: Tropical Africa, Madagascar, S., S.E. and Central Asia.

1000-1100 m

Moist open forests. Hainan [Bhutan, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka; Africa, Madagascar].

Solandra lobata Murray, Commentat. Soc. Regiae Sci. Gott. 6: 20. 1785; Hibiscus solandra L’Héritier.