Hibiscus surattensis L.

The auriculate stipules and ovate epicalyx lobe appendages of this species are instantly diagnostic.

Herbs annual, subshrublike, 0.5-2(-4) m tall, usually procumbent, sometimes scandent, most parts sparsely villous and aculeate, prickles retrorsely curved. Stipules auriculate, foliaceous, ca. 5 mm, sparsely long hirsute; petiole 2-7 cm, abaxially sparsely aculeate, adaxially densely long hirsute; leaf blade palmately 3-5-lobed, 5-10 × 5-11 cm, lobes ovate-lanceolate, 3-7 × 1.5-3 cm, sparsely strigose on both surfaces, margin irregularly serrate; basal veins 5, sparsely aculeate. Flowers solitary, axillary. Pedicel 1-5 cm, sparsely aculeate and villous. Epicalyx lobes 8-10, base terete, 5-7 mm, inner branch erect, linear-lanceolate to filiform, 1-2 cm, aculeate, outer branch/abaxial appendage ovate to elliptic, 0.7-1 cm. Calyx turning reddish in fruit, shallowly cup-shaped, lobes 5, ovate-lanceolate, apex long acuminate, ca. 2.5 cm, aculeate. Corolla pale yellow with dark red center; petals ca. 3.5 cm. Capsule ovate-globose, ca. 1.2 × 1 cm, densely scabrous and hirsute with long hairs, shortly beaked. Seeds reniform, sparsely strigose with white minute hairs. Fl. Sep-Mar.

Hainan, Hong Kong, S Yunnan [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia].

Forest margins, open slopes, valleys, streamsides; 300-1200 m.

Furcaria surattensis (Linnaeus) Kosteletzky.

Prostrate or scrambling annual herb, stems up to 3 m. Most parts with small reddish-brown, hooked prickles. Leaves variously 3-5 lobed, sometimes only shallowly so; margins coarsely toothed; leaf-like stipules conspicuous. Flowers large, solitary, axillary, yellow with a purple centre. The epicalyx has forked bracts, the inner branch linear, the outer branch spathulate. Capsule spherical-ovoid with acute apex.

Frequent

Widespread throughout the Old World tropics.

Hibiscus surattensis, the bush sorrel or wild sour, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is native to the seasonally dry tropical (and subtropical) Old World, and has been introduced to many islands of the Indian Ocean. As the common names imply, it is eaten as a leafy green by local peoples.

The false sepals (the spoon-like green bracts with prongs) are a distinguishing feature of the species.