Hibiscus micranthus
L.f.
Malvaceae
Hibiscus baidoensis Chiov.
Hibiscus calycosus A.Rich.
Hibiscus capillipes Mattei
Hibiscus gossypinus DC.
Hibiscus hermanniaefolius Hochst.
Hibiscus lanzae Cufod.
Hibiscus ovalifolius (Forssk.) Vahl
Hibiscus parvifolius Hochst. ex T.Anderson
Hibiscus pavoniformis Baill.
Urena ovalifolia Forssk.
Common Name:
Stem and flower buds
Photograph by: Gidip
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Stem and flower buds
Photograph by: Gidip
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
General Information
Hibiscus micranthus is a slender shrub with stiff, erect branches; it can grow up to 2.5 metres tall[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
,
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
,
500- Title
- Flora of Somalia
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thulin M. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Kew Publishing, London.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials[
372- Title
- Flowers of India
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
,
1447- Title
- Antimicrobial Activity of Tanzanian Chewing Sticks Against Oral Pathogenic Microbes
- Publication
- Pharmaceutical Biology, 38:3, 235-240; 2000
- Author
- Maryam N. Khan, Olipa Ngassapa & Mecky I.N. Matee
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.1076/1388-0209(200007)3831-SFT235
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Africa - widespread through the Continent, avoiding the moistest areas; through Arabia to India.
Habitat
Woodland and waste places, often as a weed of cultivation[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Often found as a weed of cultivated crops within its native range, it has the potential to spread as a weed in other, suitable areas[
1093- Title
- Invasive Species Compendium
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.cabi.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
The flowers only open when the plant is growing in direct sunlight[
372- Title
- Flowers of India
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.flowersofindia.net/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked and used as a vegetable[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
Seed[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Medicinal
The leaves are diuretic, febrifuge, stomachic[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The leaves are used to treat ear problems, venomous stings, bites etc[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The root is used in the treatment of pulmonary problems, stomach troubles and venereal diseases[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Other Uses
Both the peeled and unpeeled twigs are used as chewing sticks in order to clean the teeth and maintain oral hygiene[
1447- Title
- Antimicrobial Activity of Tanzanian Chewing Sticks Against Oral Pathogenic Microbes
- Publication
- Pharmaceutical Biology, 38:3, 235-240; 2000
- Author
- Maryam N. Khan, Olipa Ngassapa & Mecky I.N. Matee
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.1076/1388-0209(200007)3831-SFT235
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. The bark contains compounds with antimicrobial activity and is best left on the stem when chewing[
1447- Title
- Antimicrobial Activity of Tanzanian Chewing Sticks Against Oral Pathogenic Microbes
- Publication
- Pharmaceutical Biology, 38:3, 235-240; 2000
- Author
- Maryam N. Khan, Olipa Ngassapa & Mecky I.N. Matee
- Website
- https://doi.org/10.1076/1388-0209(200007)3831-SFT235
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
A fibre is obtained from the stems[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Propagation
Seed - sow in situ or in containers. Germination is usually fairly rapid and no special pretreatment is needed, although germination will be faster if the seed is abraded or soaked prior to sowing[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
]. Prick out container-grown seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions when they are 10cm or more tall.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a frame. They generally strike readily, particularly if cuttings are taken on an angle through a node and rooting hormone is applied to their ends[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
