1016

 

Hibiscus sabdariffa  L.

Synonym	:	Abelmoschus cruentus (Bertol.) Walp.
Family	:	Malvaceae
Local name	:	English         - Rosella Malayalam  -Mathipuli
Flowering and fruiting period	:	December-February
Distribution	:	Native of Tropical Africa; widely cultivated in all tropics regions.
Distribution in kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Cultivated as vegetable, but now naturalised
Endemic / Exotic		Exotic
Uses	:	Used traditionally as a food, in herbal drinks, in hot and cold beverages, as a flavouring agent in the food industry and as a herbal medicine.
Key Botanical Characters  : Unarmed, erect shrub, to 3 m high; stems glabrous or sparsely pubescent, green or reddish purple. Leaves .polymorphic, entire or palmately 3-5 fid, partite or lobed; midlobelanceolate or oblong, Petioles 2-8 cm long, green or reddish purple; stipules linear-subulate,. Flowers axillary, solitary or in racemose panicles by reduction of upper leaves. Calyx campanulate, Calyx campanulate, Corolla 4-5 cm across, yellow with a purple centre. Petals orbicular.,glabrous. Staminal column shorter than petals. Ovary ovoid, seeds reniform, furfuraceous.