Hibiscus verdcourtii Craven

Hibiscus verdcourtii Craven View in CoL in Craven et al., New Zealand J. Bot. 49: 35: 2011. Type: AUSTRALIA, Northern Territory, c. 168 km SW of ‘ Calvert Hills’ on road to ‘ Creswell Downs’ , 16.05.1974, R. Pullen 9279 (holo CANB digital image!; iso DNA!). Fig. 2 View Fig

Annual erect to decumbent herbs, 20–150 cm high; stems with fine stellate hairs. Leaves 2.5–7 × 2–5 cm, mid-stem to distal leaves more or less 3-lobed, lobes not extended to the apex of the petiole or upto extreme base of the leaf, primary lobes scarcely lobed with palmate venation. Flowers in solitary cymes or paired, axillary, pedunculate; peduncles 0.5–0.9 cm long, with fine stellate hairs and fine bristles; pedicels 0.5–1.5 cm long, indumentum generally similar to that of the peduncle. Epicalyx 2.3–2.5 cm across, segments (9-)10(-11); segments linear, slightly flat, shorter than or equal to the calyx. Calyx 5-lobed, c. 2.5 cm in diam., distinctly accrescent in fruit, with stellate hairs; lobes triangular, acute or acuminate at the apex, with prominent 3–5 nerves. Petals 5, obovate, 2.7–5 cm, yellow, fading to white in older flowers, generally with basal pale petal spot. Stamens many; staminal column 0.7–1.2 cm long; anthers c. 1 mm long. Ovary globose, 0.2-0.4 cm in diam., hairy; style 0.3–0.7 cm long, straight, glabrous divided at apex into five segments; stigmas capitate with white hairs, 0.6–0.8 mm across. Capsules globose, 1.1–1.3 cm long, hairy, enclosed in papery calyx lobes. Seeds 4–20, sub-reniform, 2.4–2.5 mm long, glabrous, smooth, dark brown to black.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from August to December and fruiting from September to January.

Distribution: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; India ( Fig. 3 View Fig ).

Specimens examined: INDIA, Maharashtra, Sangli district, Siddhewadi , N 16°54’57.9672”, E 74°42’44.2728”, 19.10.2020, V. V GoogleMaps . Khot & J. V . Dalavi AVM-131 ( SUK); Solapur district, Sangola, Sangola-Jath Road , N 17°21’58.0356”, E 75°11’37.8456”, 21.09.2021, A. V GoogleMaps . Mohite , J. V . Dalavi , V. V . Khot & S. R . Yadav AVM-147 ( SUK) .