Hibiscus syriacus (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Hibiscus syriacus L.

Protologue: Sp. pl. 2: 695 (1753).

Family: Malvaceae

Vernacular names

• Syrian hibiscus, rose of Sharon (En)
• Philippines: gumamelang asul (Tagalog)
• Thailand: chabaa cheen (central)
• Vietnam: hồng cận biếc, mộc cận.

Distribution

H. syriacus originates in China and Taiwan, but is now cultivated worldwide as an ornamental.

Uses

The dried flowers are used as a diuretic, and against skin complaints. The leaves are applied as a stomachic, hypolipidaemic and tonic and the mucilaginous bark and root are used as a demulcent.

Observations

• A smooth, erect shrub, 2-5 m tall.
• Leaves cuneiform-ovate, up to 8 cm long, 3-lobed, lateral ones short, rounded, the terminal one elongated, pointed, margins toothed, nectary absent, glabrous.
• Calyx 1.5-2 cm long, deeply lobed, flowers normally pale bluish-violet, with a dark centre, sometimes variegated, not opening fully, petals obovate, 3-6 cm long.
• Seed reniform, long hairy.

In H. syriacus , many cultivars are distinguished, often with double flowers.

Selected sources

• [786] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.
• [788] Pételot, A., 1952—1954. Les plantes médicinales du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam [The medicinal plants of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam]. 4 volumes. Centre National de Recherches Scientifiques et Techniques, Saigon, Vietnam.
• [810] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
• [1117] Yun, B.S., Ryoo, I.J., Lee, I.K., Park, K.H., Choung, D.H., Han, K.H. & Yoo, I.D., 1999. Two bioactive pentacyclic triterpene esters from the root bark of Hibiscus syriacus. Journal of Natural Products 62(5): 764—766.

Main genus page

• Hibiscus (Medicinal plants)

Authors

• Undang A. Dasuki