Hibiscus altissimus Hornby

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Photo: Bart Wursten
At the top of Nharizengere waterfalls, Northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Hibiscus furcatus sensu Harv. Hibiscus rostellatus Guill. & Perr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust woody scrambler or climbing liane with mostly hairless stems up to 10 m long, covered in recurved prickles. Leaves broadly ovate to almost orbicular in outline up to 12 × 15 cm, usually 3-5-lobed, mostly hairless but sometimes stellate pubescent and with prickles on the veins beneath; margin irregularly serrate; petiole up to 7.5 cm long. Stipules narrowly linear to filiform, 6-7 mm long. Flowers solitary, axillary, up to 10 cm in diameter, yellow or terracotta, sometimes with a dark centre. Epicalyx of about 7 bracts, forked, up to 15 mm long, outer branch somewhat reflexed. Capsule c. 2 cm long, densely covered in appressed bristly hairs.
Notes:	Similar to Hibiscus surattensis, which has similar elaborate epicalyx lobes but H. altissimus is a much more robust climbing species. It is much less densely stellate hairy and more spiny.
Derivation of specific name:	altissimus: very tall, referring to its robust climbing habit.
Habitat:	In wooded riverine vegetation.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):	Climber, liane.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 31 May 2015
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31. Exell, A.W. (1961). Malvaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 440 - 441. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 60. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27.

Other sources of information about Hibiscus altissimus:

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Flora of Zimbabwe: Hibiscus altissimus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Hibiscus altissimus
African Plant Database: Hibiscus altissimus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Hibiscus altissimus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Hibiscus altissimus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Hibiscus altissimus
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iNaturalist: Hibiscus altissimus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Hibiscus altissimus
JSTOR Plant Science: Hibiscus altissimus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Hibiscus altissimus
Plants of the World Online: Hibiscus altissimus
Tropicos: Hibiscus altissimus
Wikipedia: Hibiscus altissimus