Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

Hibiscus genevii is a bush that can reach up to 2-3 meters in height. The adult leaves are ranging from 4 to 7 cm in length by 3 to 5 cm in width. The leaf is elliptical, rather rounded at the tip and at the base. The leaf margin is entire, sometimes rather crenate on the half distal part. A glandular is also visible near the midvein on the lower leaf surface. The petiole is 1 to 4.5 cm in length, quite canaliculated and hairy on the upper surface. Stipules are 2-3 mm long, fleshy and deciduous in nature. Flowers are solitary with long pedicels of the order of 4-9 cm. The corolla can reach up to 12 cm with 5 petals spread out that can reach a length of 6-8 cm and pink-purple in colour with a red centre. The epicalyx has 8 to 9 linear teeth that are virtually free and between 1 and 1.4 cm in length. The calyx has a campanulated, rather smooth tube measuring between 1.5 and 2.5 cm, with deltoid lobes that can be as long as 1.2 cm. The staminal column is 5-8 cm long. The style is longer than the staminal column by some 5 mm and is divided into 5 long branches of more or less 7 mm. The stigma is pale red with a capsule of 2 to 2.5 cm. The ovary consist or more or less 10 ovules. The grains are rather oval, measure 4.5 mm in length are greyish in colour.

Hibiscus genevii is endemic to Mauritius.

Hibiscus genevii was thought to have been extinct some one century and a half ago and has been re-discovered by Dr. L. Bernardi and Mr. J. Gueho, 33 years ago, on the 21st of January 1968.

We currently have 10 herbarium specimens for Hibiscus genevii in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 011456 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1991
• 019724 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1995
• S062739 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2008
• S094983 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2008
• Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2014
• Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2014
• Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2014
• Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2014
• 086046 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2015
• 083466 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2017