Dilip Walse Patil

Scientific Name : Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Category : Angiosperms

Status : Alive

Habit : An ornamental evergreen shrub having branched tap root system. Stem : Woody and solid but herbaceous at upper portion,aerial, Erect, branched, cylindrical, solid and glabrous. Leaves : Ramal and cauline, stipulate, petiolate, simple, alternate, ovate, serrate, acute, glabrous, unicostate reticulate venation. Inflorescence : Solitary axillary. Flowers : Ebracteate, pedicellate, complete, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous, cyclic, large, red or variously coloured. Epicalyx 5 or more, free, green. Calyx made up of sepls 5, gamosepalous, campanulate, valvate, green. Corolla made up of 5 petals, polypetalous but fused at the base, adnate, shape obovate and margin sinuous, twisted and red. Androecium made up of many stamens, monadelphous, epipetalous, staminal tube fused with corolla and red in colour, anthers are monothecous, reniform, attached transversely to the filament, extrorse and red coloured. Gynoecium composed of pentacarpellary, syncarpous, superior pentalocular, many ovules in each locule, axile placentation, styles 5, united below but free at their tips, stigmas 5, capitate, and coloured. Fruit : 5-valved, loculicidal capsule Seeds : Small, endospermic. Flowering and Fruiting Time : July-December Significance : It is Cultivated in the gardens as an ornamental plant. The paste of petals is also applied on the hair for blackening. The buds are cooling and remove seminal weakness. The petals are used to blacken shoes and hence the name is given.