Hibiscus surattensis
Malvaceae FAMILY

Hibiscus surattensis

Hibiscus surattensis

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Hibiscus surattensis is a much-branched, prostrate or climbing annual plant producing weak stems from 1 - 7 metres long[ 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. , 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. , 1671 Title Revision of Hibiscus section Furcaria (Malvaceae) in Africa and Asia Publication Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 29( 1 ): 47-79 Author Wilson F.D. Publisher Year 1999 ISBN Description ]. All parts of the plant, including the weak stems and leaf stalks, are covered with small downward-pointing soft prickles and hairs[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is commonly used as a potherb in many areas in Africa and Asia, where the leaves are usually harvested from the wild but are sometimes cultivated[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]..

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeTropical Africa - widespread in the moister regions; Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros; Indian subcontinent, Indo-China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippine
HabitatGrassland and at forest edges in lowland and at medium elevations up to 1,700 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Also found in marshes, abandoned fields and plantations, on waste ground near habitation, and in coastal habitats such as sand dunes[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].