Hibiscus lobatus (Murray) Kuntze

 

Family – Malvaceae

Synonym – Hibiscus abyssinicus Steud.; Hibiscus albus Wall.; Hibiscus lobatus var. sinuatus Hochr.; Hibiscus ochroleucus Baker 

Vernacular names – Lobed Leaf Mallow

Habit – Shrub

Habitat – Moist and dry deciduous forests

Distribution – Paleotropics

Flowering and Fruiting –  July-January

Key Identification Features – This shrub has broadly ovate, softly tomentose leaves. Its yellow flowers occur in panicles, and the fruit is a capsule with beaked mericarps containing numerous grey seeds. The sepals are fused at the base, forming a short campanulate tube.

Uses - It serves as an ornamental plant with large, pink flowers, works well as a hedge or ground cover, helps control erosion, and acts as a windbreak due to its dense foliage.

Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Hibiscus abelmoschus var. genuinus Hochr. 

Vernacular name: Kattukasthuri

Habit: Sub-shrubs/herbs

Habitat: Forests slopes and dry places. Grasslands

Distribution: South Asia to Pacific Islands

Flowering & Fruiting: July-December

Key identification features: An undershrub with simple prickly or stellate hairs and palmately lobed or palmilobed leaves. Large yellow flowers in axillary solitary cymes with epicalyx.  Corolla yellow with dark purple, white or pink. Stamens indefinite monadelphous. Fruit capsule. 

Uses: The leaves and flowers are rubbed on scabies and also applied as a poultice on swellings. The leaves are antiinflammatory and febrifuge.

Sida rhombifolia subsp alnifolia (L.) Ugbor.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Sida alnifolia L.

Vernacular name: Kurunthotti

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution: Indo-Malesia to Pacific Islands

Flowering and Fruiting: September-December

Key identification features: Subshrubs with strong branching with simple, alternate leaves, obovate to elliptic-lanceolate. Flowers are axillary and solitary, with yellow petals. The fruit is a schizocarp, containing 7-10 mericarps.

Uses: The root is used in Ayurveda for rheumatism treatment, and the plant is employed as an anti-pyretic agent.

Abelmoschus angulosus Wall. ex. Wight & Arn

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Abelmoschus angulosus var. mahendragiriensis R.C.Misra 

Vernacular name:

Habit: Subshrub

Habitat: Moist deciduous and evergreen forests

Distribution: South India and Srilanka

Flowering and Fruiting: September-March

Key identification features: Its stem is green, often tinged with purple at the nodes, and covered in scattered rigid bulbous-based simple hairs. The leaves are alternate. They can be orbicular or 3-5 angular or lobed. Solitary flowers appear in the upper axils, later due to the reduction of upper leaves in long terminal racemes. The corolla is bright yellow with a dark purple center. The staminal tube has five teeth at the apex. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: It is used as an ornamental plant due to its attractive yellow flowers and lanceolate leaves.

Urena lobata subsp. lobata L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Urena lobata var. genuina Miq. in Pl. Jungh.: 283 (1854), not validly publ.

Vernacular name: Caesar's weed,Common Purple Mallow

Habit: Undershrub

Habitat: Undergrowth in orchards, forests, waste places

Distribution:  Pantropical

Flowering and Fruitin: January_April

Key identification features: This subshrub-like herb grows erect. Leaf blades on the middle part of the stem are ovate while those on the distal part are oblong to lanceolate. The flower is reddish with 5 obovate petals covered in stellate puberulence on the abaxial side. The fruit is flattened and globose.

Uses: In some cultures, young leaves of Urena lobata may be consumed as a leafy vegetable after proper cooking.

Thespesia populnea (L.) Sol. ex Corrêa

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Bupariti populnea (L.) Rothm. 

Vernacular name: Pravaras, Cheelanthi, Pooparutthi, Poovarasu, Porasu

Habit: Tree

Habitat: Grown as fence-posts and avenue tree, also in mangrove forests

Distribution: Native of Old World, tropics; widely naturalized in Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean islands and Florida

Flowering and Fruiting: March-June

Key identification features: An evergreen and fairly large, quick-growing tree. Leaves are simple, alternate, long-petioled and heart-shaped. Flowers are single or in pairs in leaf axil, bell-shaped, pale yellow with purple base, slowly changing to purple on withering. Fruits are globose capsules, which turn brown on drying.

Uses: Cultivated as a shade tree around Habitations. Young leaves and flower buds are eaten fried. Wood used for agricultural implements.

 

Sida rhombifolia L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Malva rhombifolia (L.) E.H.L.Krause 

Vernacular name: Anakurunthotti, Kurunthotti, Vankurunthotti

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Sandy localities, waste ground and fallow fields

Distribution: Tropical & Subtropical Old World

Flowering and Fruiting: September-December

Key identification features: These subshrubs have brown branchlets covered in stellate pubescence. The leaves are rhomboid. Flowers are either solitary or clustered, yellow, with obovate petals. Fruit is a schizocarp.

Uses: Used to relieve swelling, to relieve headache, used as an emollient, and the root is used to treat rheumatism.

Sida cordifolia L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Malvinda cordifolia (L.) Medik. 

Vernacular name: Anakurunthoti, Kattooram, Kurunthotti, Vellooram, Velluppan

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Common along roadsides, sandy sea coasts and wastelands

Distribution: Pantropical

Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year

Key identification features: Erect, branched subshrubs with green stems densely covered in minute stellate and spreading simple hairs. Leaves are ovate with serrate margins. Flowers are yellow, solitary or aggregated terminally in congested corymbiform inflorescences. Fruit is a schizocarp

Uses: The plant is used in curing asthma by applying paste made with whole plant, pepper and garlic over the body

Sida cordata (Burm. f.) Borss. Waalk.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Sida beddomei K.C.Jacob 

Vernacular name: Kuruntotti, Nela-vaga, Palkurunthotti, Vallikurunthotti

Habit: Herb

Habitat: All types of Habitats from sandy sea coasts to deciduous forests

Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical Asia

Flowering and Fruiting: January-April

Key identification features: A prostrate herb with broadly ovate or orbicular leaves. The leaves are stellate-tomentose on both sides. Its flowers are axillary and solitary, with yellow petals and numerous yellow anthers. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: A paste of the root is applied as a poultice to remove pus from boils and wounds.

 

Sida acuta Burm. f.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Sida carpinifolia var. acuta (Burm.f.) Kurz 

Vernacular name: Cheruparava, Kurunthotti, Malamkurunthotti, Malatanni Shiruparuva

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Dry and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution: Pantropical

Flowering and Fruiting: August-October

Key identification features: An erect subshrub with lanceolate to ovate leaves. Its flowers are solitary and axillary, with creamy-yellow petals. The plant produces trigonous mericarps, each containing seeds that trigonous in shape.

Uses: A decoction of the whole plant is used as a treatment for fevers. The juice of the plant is used to treat indigestion.The leaves are diuretic. An infusion is used to treat dysentery.

Hibiscus vitifolius L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Fioria vitifolia (L.) Mattei 

Vernacular name: Kattuvelluram, Vellaooral

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Dry deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in the plains

Distribution: Paleotropics 

Flowering and Fruiting: April-December

Key identification features: It is shrub with green stems covered with densely covered with glandular and stellate hairs. The simple leaves are alternate. They are broadly ovate or more commonly 3-5-lobed. The yellow corolla has a dark purple center. The seeds are brown, reniform.

Uses: Used as a liver protective medicine.

Hibiscus surattensis L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: No synonym

Vernacular name: Kakkapoovu, Mampazhaya, Pulichai, Panchakam

Habit: Undershrub

Habitat: Dry and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution:  Tropical & sub-Tropical regions of the Old World

Flowering and Fruiting: September-February

Key identification features: Scandent or trailing undershrubs with armed stems, petioles, and pedicels have lobed leaves and prickly margins. The solitary creamy-yellow flowers have a dark purplish center, and the capsules are densely covered with closely appressed hairs, enclosing angular, brownish-black seeds .

Uses: natural dye, yielding various shades of reds and pinks.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Hibiscus × colleri Anon. 

Vernacular name: Chemparati, Ayamparathi

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Cultivated in gardens.

Distribution: Native of Pacific Islands; cultivated in Tropical and Subtropical countries.

Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year

Key identification features: Evergreen erect shrubs with smooth leaves that are either ovate or elliptic-ovate, featuring serrated edges. Solitary flowers emerge from the axils, with filiform epicalyx lobes fused at the base. The corolla ranges from pinkish to red, with twisted petals. Capsules have a distinct beak.

Uses: Fresh petals used for blackening hairs and eye-brows. Flowers check menstruation bleedings; buds cure seminal weaknesses.

Hibiscus radiatus Cav.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Hibiscus lindleyi Wall. 

Vernacular name: Rose Hibiscus

Habit: Herb / Undershrub

Habitat: In mixed and deciduous forests.

Distribution:  Native of Eastern India, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Flowering and Fruiting: August-February

Key identification features: Hibiscus species are herbs, undershrubs or shrubs. Flowers bisexual, corolla showy and large, yellow, white, orange, purple, red, blue and dark colored at the base, campanulate or cylindric. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: The leaves are sometimes used to make herbal teas or infusions believed to have diuretic properties and to promote overall health.

Hibiscus hispidissimus Griff.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Furcaria furcellata Ulbr. 

Vernacular name: Anicham, Kalapoo, Naranambuli, Pachapuli, Uppanachakam

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Scrub and deciduous forests.

Distribution: Paleotropics

Flowering and Fruiting: September-March

Key identification features: Rambling or climbing shrubs; armed with recurved prickles; leaves cordate or truncate at base. Flowers solitary, axillary. Corolla yellow with purple center; petals obovate. Staminal column antheriferous throughout. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: It is used in tribal medicine of Kerala, the southern most state of India, to treat liver diseases.

Azanza lampas (Cav.) Alef.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Bupariti lampas (Cav.) Rothm. 

Vernacular name:

Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Moist Deciduous forests

Distribution: Tropical and Sub tropical Asia

Flowering and Fruiting: August-December

Key identification features: Its leaves are simple, alternate. The flowers are solitary, appearing in axillary positions or due to the reduction of upper leaves. The corolla is yellow with a dark purple center. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: They are used most commonly in the treatment of intestinal complaints such as griping in the bowels, and flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, and worm infestation

Sida mysorensis Wight & Arn.

 

Family:  Malvaceae

Synonym: Sida wightiana D.Dietr. 

Vernacular name: Mysore fan petals

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, grassy slopes, roadsides

Distribution: Tropical & Subtropical Asia

Flowering and Fruiting: October-February

Key identification features: Aromatic erect subshrubs with viscid green stems covered in stellate, gland-tipped, and simple patent hairs. Leaves are broadly ovate. Flowers are axillary, orangish-yellow. Fruit is a shizocarp

Uses: The leaves and roots are used to treat fever, coughs, and colds.

Melochia corchorifolia L.

 

Family: Malvaceae

Synonym: Hibiscus ramosus D.Dietr. 

Vernacular name: Cheruvuram, Niruren, Seruvuram

Habit: Herb

Habitat: Degraded deciduous forest areas and waste places

Distribution: Pantropical

Flowering and Fruiting: July-April

Key identification features: Erect branched herbs. Young stem, petioles, bracts and calyx lobes stellate hairy mixed with simple hairs. Leaves varying in size and shape, ovate- oblong, cordate or attenuate at base, margin serrate, acute at apex, sparsely hairy on nerves on both sides; Flowers in terminal, capitate cymes, pink. Fruit is a capsule.

Uses: A leaf decoction is prescribed in a compound mixture of herbs against urinary disorders. A decoction of the leaves and roots is used internally to treat dysentery.