Hibiscus L.
Genus with about 240 species, distributed throughout the tropical and temperate regions. In North Africa it is represented by 3 shrub species, to which we should add H. trionium L., a Mediterranean plant with herbaceous stems. The genus is composed of annual or perennial herbaceous plants, subshrubs, shrubs or small trees, with hispid stems, rarely glabrous, usually with stellate hairs.
Friis, I. & Vollensen, K. 1998, Flora of the Sudan-Uganda border área east of the Nile: catalogue of vascular plants. Vegetation and phytogeography. The Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters. 855 pp.
Key to species
1 Stipules acicular, 5-9 mm, petals red or pink Hibiscus aponeurus
1 Stipules filiform up to 5 mm, petals pale pink or yellow with garnet base 2
2 Leaves not divided; capsule not winged; seeds cottony Hibiscus micranthus
2 Leaves 3-5 palmately-lobed (at least some); capsule 5-winged; Hibiscus vitifolius
Updated by: A.F. Carrillo.