Hibiscus schizopetalus is a species of Hibiscus native to tropical eastern Africa in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.
It is a shrub growing to 3 m tall. The red or pink flowers are very distinctive in their frilly, finely divided petals. Its common names include Japanese Lantern, Coral Hibiscus and Fringed Rosemallow. Flowers with finely dissected petal have a range of colours, the most common being the red form (Keena et al., 2002; Ng, 2006). Leaves resemble those of H. rosa-sinensis.
The major anthocyanin found in flowers of H. schizopetalus is cyanidin-3-sambusophoroside (Lowry, 1976). From leaves, two new triterpene esters have been isolated (Jose & Vijayan, 2006).
Media related to Hibiscus schizopetalus at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Hibiscus schizopetalus at Wikispecies
Jose, E.A. & Vijayan, K.K. (2006). “New taraxerane esters from Hibiscus schizopetalus leaves”. Indian Journal of Chemistry - Section B Organic and Medicinal Chemistry 45(5): 1328–1331.
Keena, C., Yanker-Hansen, K., Marcos Capelini, M. (2002). “Marvellous mallows”. http://www.internationalhibiscussociety.org/hiv1n11-1.htm#1.
Lowry, J.B. (1976). “Floral anthocyanins of some Malesian Hibiscus species”. Phytochemistry 15: 1395–1396.
Ng, F.S.P. 2006. “Tropical Horticulture and Gardening”. Clearwater Publications, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 361 pp.