Herbarium JCB

Thespesia populnea (L.) Sol. ex Correa

Family : MALVACEAE
(HIBISCUS OR MALLOW FAMILY)
Family (as per The Plant List) : Malvaceae
Species : Thespesia populnea
Basionym : Hibiscus populneus L.
Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Thespesia populnea (L.) Sol. ex Corr.
Common name : Portia Tree, Indian Tulip Tree
Vernacular name : Paraspeepal, Parsipu, Porush, Gajadanda (Hin.); Hoovarasi, Bugari mara (Kan.); Otti (Tam.); Ganga raavi, Muni gangaraavi (Tel.); Halbali, Ganjausto, Poroso pippoli, Goya (Ori.); Haripacchu (San.)
Key identification features : An evergreen and fairly large, quick-growing tree. Leaves are simple, alternate, long-petioled and heart-shaped with 5-7 prominent nerves and with the apex drawn out. Flowers are single or in pairs in leaf axil, 8 cm long and 4-5 cm across, bell-shaped, pale yellow with purple base, slowly changing to purple on withering. Fruits are globose capsules, which turn brown on drying. Bark is brown, furrowed and lenticeled.
Habit : Tree
Flower, Fruit : Throughout the Year
Comments : Common along canals and near habitations. Flowers open by 10 a.m. and close pink in the evening. Also planted.
Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
Distribution Locality : Throughout Eastern Ghats
World Distribution : Widely distributed in Tropics
Literature : Pullaiah et al., 2002 - Flora of Eastern Ghats Vol. 1; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1994- Flora of Orissa Vol. 1 ; R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District ; R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Thespesia populnea. Downloaded on 4 July 2024.