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