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Malvaviscus penduliflorus

DC. (1824)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Genus: Malvaviscus

firecracker hibiscus, turk's cap

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs up to 3(–4) m tall, glabrate or sparsely pubescent.

Stems: Stems with lines of simple and bifurcate hairs.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades lanceolate to ovate, 4–10(–15) cm long. Apex acuminate. Base obtuse. Margins crenate–serrate. Petioles with lines of simple and bifurcate hairs. Stipules present.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils or in terminal, cymose clusters, pedicellate, pendulous; involucral bracts (6-)8-9(-17), linear to ovate or spatulate, connate at base. Involucral bracts 6–8, spatulate, 12–18 mm long, 2–3 mm wide. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Pedicels densely pubescent, to 1.5–4 cm long. Calyx composed of connate sepals, (3-)5-lobed, 14–20 mm long, the lobes ciliate. Corolla actinomorphic to moderately zygomorphic, red or sometimes white, 5.5–6.5 cm long funnelform, corolla of 5 petals, obovate, each petal with a prominent basal auricle distinct from each other but adnate at base to staminal column, convolute in bud. Stamens 5 to numerous, monadelphous, forming a staminal column, staminal column slightly exserted, shortly antheriferous below the 5-lobed apex; anthers monothecal. Pollen globose, echinate. Ovary superior, carpels 5, placentation axile; ovules 1 per carpel, ascending; style exceeding the staminal column, slightly exserted, branches 10; stigmas capitate.

Fruit: Fruit apparently unknown. Seeds reniform; with or without endosperm.

Ploidy: 2n = 28; 86

Habitat: Cultivated and sparingly naturalized in disturbed mesic sites.

Elevation Range: 0–330 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Only found in cultivation
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Prodr. 1: 445 (1824)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:895 (K, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:391 (DESCR); Oppenheimer 2007:26 (Mo); Oppenheimer 2011:8 (O)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Honolulu, 1821 Keeaumoku St garden Preserved_Specimen shrub of 8 ft. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1929-11-01
2 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Waialua, Kaamooloa Rd silty loam Preserved_Specimen shrub to 10'; flowers red, drooping, unopened Afualo, D. 9 Oahu BISH 1975-02-16
3 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Princeville with Psidium and Mangifera and grass undergrowth. Preserved_Specimen Scattered shrub to 1 m. Leaves simple; alternate; margins sinuate to serrate; narrow ovate-elliptic to 7 cm x 2.8 cm. Flowers pendent to 6 cm long and red Spence, G. 157 Kauai BISH 1973-04-14
4 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Kapiolani Park, Honolulu full sun Preserved_Specimen Multi-trunked shrub to 2.5 m; flowers are crimson and odorless (noon) Lau, J. 1393 Oahu BISH 1985-09-08
5 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Koloa, Lawai Valley, NTBG, Old Visitor's Center Preserved_Specimen shrub of 5'; leaves medium green, mat above, paler below with darker raised veins; bracts med. green; calyx paler yellow-green, corolla pale pink usually, occasionally with bright red corolla; flowers pendant, not fragrant (2.30 pm) Flynn, T.W. 5615 Kauai BISH 1994-08-22
6 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Keaukaha, Kamokuna Rd with Psidium, Ipomoea, Paederia and grasses Preserved_Specimen Large shrub to 12'; leaves ovate-broadly lanceolate, margins dentate. Petioles hirsute. Corolla scarlet, petals remaining closed. Calyx 5-lobed; bracts 7. Ishikawa, S. 210 Hawaii BISH 1973-01-12
7 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Tantalus- on road to Puu Ualakaa Wayside UTM 622405, 2357577 In understory of Araucaria columnaris. Preserved_Specimen Sparingly branched shrub about 2 meters tall, flowers crimson, pendant. OED 2009011501 Oahu BISH 2009-01-15
8 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Waialua District, Kauwalu Gulch. Preserved_Specimen Sparingly naturalized shrubs, spreading from cultivated area nearby: flower red. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70913 Oahu BISH 2009-07-22
9 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Laie Preserved_Specimen shrub; leaves narrow ovate, tooth pointed; flowers develop singly at leaf axils Higuchi, G.T. 44 Oahu BISH 1971-05-07
10 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Haliimaile Village Preserved_Specimen Tall shrub with dark green foliage and brilliant crimson flowers Herbst, D.R. 822 Maui BISH 1967-12-24
11 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Waikiki Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1930-11-12
12 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Halawa Valley Preserved_Specimen Woody shrubs to 3m tall forming localized thickets; flowers red. Oppenheimer, H.L. 120632 Molokai BISH 2006-12-09
13 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Mokuleia Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11402 Oahu BISH 1937-07-30
14 Malvaviscus penduliflorus S of Hilo Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 611228036 Hawaii BISH 1961-12-28
15 Malvaviscus penduliflorus Mokuleia Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11738 Oahu BISH 1937-12-01
16 Malvaviscus penduliflorus ahupuaa of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District Preserved_Specimen ESP Field Crew Hawaii BISH 1979-10-05
17 Malvaviscus penduliflorus ahupuaa of Halepuaa Forest Reserve in the Puna District Preserved_Specimen ESP Field Crew Hawaii BISH 1979-10-05
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