Merauke Hibiscus, Bush hibiscus
Hibiscus meraukensis
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
An erect annual shrub. It grows 1-2 m high. The stems are hairy. The leaves are coarse and dark green. The size and shape of the leaves varies. The lower leaves can be divided into 3-5 narrow lobes. The leaf blade is 10-18 cm long by 2.5-8.5 cm wide. The flowers are large and white. They have a red centre. They are about 7-10 cm across. Flowers occur singly and in the axils of leaves. The fruit are slightly woody capsules. These are about 1.5-1.7 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. The seeds inside are dark brown and kidney shaped.
There are about 220 Hibiscus species.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. Plants grow naturally in open forest often on poor soils. They can be along the banks of rivers.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The seeds are eaten raw.
Edible parts
Seeds, flowers, roots
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed. They can also be grown by cuttings.