Malvaceae Thespesia populnea (L.) Solander ex Correa

| |	© W.D. Hawthorne

Keywords in this picture :

• Foliage
• Flower
• Vegetative
• Inflorescence
• Flower & fruit
• Leaf
• Plant parts

Places where this species can be found :

• Lance aux Epines - GRENADA
• Grand Anse - GRENADA
• Grenada - GRENADA

Species information

Description
Differes from Hibiscus by having a saucer shaped calyx, rather than lobes or sepals. It differs from the seaside Hibiscus, H. pernambucensis, by its shiny leaves. Petiole 5-16 cm. Leaves cordate; 3-10mm scaly stipules. Often with nectaries in axils of basal nerves. Corolla 5 petals yellow often with dark purple centre, becoming darker reddish orange then pink.

Interest
Thespesia= derived from Greek, "divinely wondrous". The wood is said to smell of roses when fresh: the heartwood is dark red often with beautiful purple veining. (Dalziel, 1948) Throughout many parts of the Pacific it is a sacred tree, often planted near temples. Often planted for erosion control near tropical coasts. Young leaves can be eaten as a vegetable.. The ripe fruit pounded with coconut oil cures lice, and the very decorative wood is used in some areas for making multicoloured bowls etc. Seeds can withstand 1 year in the sea amd germinate in hot sand.

Specimen information

Collector
Hawthorne, W.D.

Specimen Number
s.n.