Hibiscus caesius Garcke

In Pakistan it is common in Upper Punjab, also found in N.W.F.P. and Kashmir.

Erect, 1-1.5 m tall herb or undershrub. Branches with scattered bristles. Leaves palmately 3-5-partite; leaflets 1.5-7 cm long, 0.5-2 cm broad, commonly elliptic, serrate, upper surface almost glabrous or simple or stellate hairy on the veins, lower surface with scattered stellate hairs; stipules, 3-10 mm long, filiform with scattered, simple, slightly stiff hairs; petiole 2-8 cm long, with a few scattered stiff hairs. Flowers axillary, solitary, large; pedicel (2-) 6-14 (-17) cm long with scattered, tubercled simple, stiff hairs, more so near the top, articulate, slightly geniculate. Epicalyx segments commonly 10, 1.5-3.5 cm long, 1 mm broad, needle like subspiny, terete, hairy, straight or slightly curved, radiate. Calyx fused at the base, shorter than or equal to epicalyx segments; lobes lanceolate, long acuminate, 3-nerved, sparsely simple hairy. Corolla large, 3-5.5 cm long, 5-8 cm across, yellow or rarely white with purple centre; petals obovate, sparsely stellate hairy outside, glabrescent, claw ciliate margin. Staminal column 1.5-2 cm long, purple, antheriferous below the middle. Capsule ovoid, 7-13 mm long, 6-9 mm across, beaked, covered with simple bristly haris, more so near the top. Seeds 3-4 per cell, dark brown, 2 mm across.

Distribution: Tropical and subtropical regions of the Old hemisphere.

caesius: bluish-grey

Shrubby perennial herb, up to 2 m tall, sometimes slightly scrambling. Leaves deeply 3-5 lobed or palmately 3-5-foliolate, lobes/leaflets, up to 10 × 3 cm, stellate hairy mainly below; margin toothed; petiole up to 8 cm long. Flowers solitary, axillary, up to 10 cm in diameter, creamy-yellow with a deep purple or reddish-brown centre. Bracts of epicalyx 7-9, 1.5-3.5 cm long, filiform, stiff and spine-like; margin with small spiny teeth. Capsule ovoid, c. 15 × 13 mm, sparsely covered in rough hairs. Seeds 5 × 3.5 mm, crescent-shaped, very minutely scaly.

Tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World

Hibiscus caesius es un arbusto perennifolio de la familia Malvaceae. Es originario de las regiones tropicales y subtropicales del Viejo Mundo.

Vista de la planta Detalle trasero de la flor

Hibiscus caesius là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Cẩm quỳ. Loài này được Garcke mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1849.