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Hibiscus hirtus L.

Synonym	:	Hibiscus phoeniceus Cav.
Family	:	Malvaceae
Local name	:	English -  Lesser Mallow white
Flowering and fruiting period	:	December-March
Distribution	:	Indo-Malesia
Distribution in kerala	:	Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Malappuram, Kozhikkode
Habitat	:	Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also cultivated as an ornamental
Uses	:	Cultivated as garden plant
Key Botanical Characters: Herb or undershrubs; stems erect, pubescent with simple stiff minute stellate hairs.Leaves alternate, lower ones ovate, rounded. Flowers axillary, solitary or seemingly in racemes or panicles by reduction of upper leaves; pedicels longer than petioles, accrescent to 5 cm, jointed below or above middle, pubescent. Epicalyx lobes 6-9, free, lanceolate to linear or subulate, acute,. Calyx 5-fid or parted; lobes divided nearly to base, linear-lanceolate, hairy, persistent. Corolla rotate, pink or white. Petals obovate, , rounded at apex. Staminal column shorter than or as long as petals. . Capsules globose,; seeds 2 or 3 in each locule, reniform, densely  covered with hairs.