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Useful Tropical Plants

Wissadula periplocifolia

(L.) C.Presl ex Thwaites

Malvaceae


There is a question over the range of this species with some authorities saying it is found through tropical America, Africa and Asia. However, at least one treatment (Vollesen, Fl. Ethiopia Eritrea 2(2): 239. 1995) has separated the African form as Wissadula rostrata[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Unless we find further information, we are treating Wissadula rostrata as distinct and Wissadula periplocifolia as being native in the Americas and in Asia[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Abutilon hastatum Ridl.

Abutilon periplocifolium (L.) Sweet

Sida periplocifolia L.

Wissadula zeylanica Medik.

Common Name:

Wissadula periplocifolia

General Information

Wissadula periplocifolia is a subshrub producing stems that are often annual, though woody at least at their base. The stems can be from 50 - 150cm tall[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
342
Title
Flora of Jamaica
Publication
 
Author
Fawcett. W. & Rendle. A. B.
Publisher
British Museum
Year
1910
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, so many name changes. Nevertheless, a very good guide to the plants of the Caribbean. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from various websites.
].
The plant yields an excellent fibre, but does not seem to be much utilized.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
342
Title
Flora of Jamaica
Publication
 
Author
Fawcett. W. & Rendle. A. B.
Publisher
British Museum
Year
1910
ISBN
 
Description
Rather dated, so many name changes. Nevertheless, a very good guide to the plants of the Caribbean. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from various websites.
,
382
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Gardens Vol. 52
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouro Botanical Garden
Year
1965
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. Amongst other things, this issue contains parts of the Flora of Panama.

Range

Tropical areas of the Americas from central Brazil to Mexico and Texas; E. Asia - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, tropical China to Malaysia

Habitat

Thickets near sea level, dry slopes, roadsides[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Moist thickets, wet forest, and brushy slopes in tropical America[
382
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Gardens Vol. 52
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Missouro Botanical Garden
Year
1965
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. Amongst other things, this issue contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height1.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


The plant thrives magnificently in barren and rocky soils[
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
It is estimated that as much as 1 tonne of stripped bark can be obtained from a hectare, and that from 25 - 40% of cleaned fibre could be obtained from this[
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Plants growing very near to each other will produce very tall stems, say from 3 - 3.6 metres tall and straight, but those that happen to grow far apart will send out side branches and make lower growth with shorter, less useful fibres[
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An excellent fibre is obtained from the bark[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The stems strip well and readily and the bark 'retts' out, leaving a fine fibre of a type to compete with jute (Corchorus spp.)[
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Wissadula+periplocifolia>

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