Hibiscus fragilis
Hibiscus fragilis
Hibiscus fragilis (Creole: Mandrinette ) is a very rare Strauchart the genus Hibiscus of the family (Malvaceae ). The plant is exclusively located on the island of Mauritius, where it was widely suppressed by human influence, in 2000 there existed only 36 plants at two locations.
Description
Hibiscus fragilis is an evergreen, often kurzästig branched, low -growing shrub that reaches a height of up to 1.50 meters, its trunk and branches are covered with stellate hairs; as of the 1.3 to 5 centimeters long, red petiole. The 4.1 to 8 centimeters long and 2.5 to 5.5 inches wide elliptical leaf blade is round to slightly cordate at the base of the leaf and runs at the far end to a point. The leaf margin is notched cut in the top half up to, the palmate venation can be found scattered along both sides star hair.
The achselbürtigen, standing at 3 to 7.5 inches long pedicles individual flowers are hermaphroditic. The outer calyx consists of six to eight linealischen bracts, which are densely covered with stellate hairs and 10 to 15 millimeters long and 1.5 to 2 millimeters wide. The cup is tapered to approach out of the overgrown part is 25 to 30 millimeters long and at base 6-8 mm wide. The five densely populated with stellate hairs Kelchzipfel each measure 12 to 20 mm in length and 7-8 mm in width. The crown has a diameter of 5-9 cm, the pink to crimson petals are equal spread far. The over the crown protruding Columna is 20 mm long and 7-8 mm thick, the stamens are yellow. The stylus is 0.5 to 1 cm longer than the Columna and is divided into five hairy branches, each of the branches is wearing a bright orange scar. The ovary is densely covered with stellate hairs. The fruit is a capsule with about 2 centimeters in diameter, hairy seeds measure 4 mm in diameter.
Distribution and threat
The species occurs in only two places on the island of Mauritius before, on dry slopes of the mountains Corps de Garde ( 2000: 10 plants ) and the summit of Le Morne Brabant ( 2000: 26 plants). The holotype came as declared by the collector of Réunion, but the type could not be found again here since then. Either the species is already extinct or so there the locus classicus is not correct, because there are also doubts.
The main reason for the decline lies in the introduction of other hibiscus species on Mauritius, which also hybridize with Hibiscus fragilis, the few remaining pure plant are unable to reproduce the situation. Both local stations in Mauritius as well as the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew ten different individuals are listed as clones in preserving cultures.
Systematics and history of research
The species was first described in 1824 by Augustin de Candolle Pyrame using a Aufsammlung Bory St Vincent from 1821 from Réunion. The specific epithet fragilis ( = brittle, fragile) probably refers to the branches of the plant.
Together with bernieri Hibiscus, Hibiscus perrieri, liliastrum Hibiscus, Hibiscus schizopetalus, kokio Hibiscus, Hibiscus arnottianus, waimeae Hibiscus, Hibiscus storckii, denisonii Hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa -sinensis, Hibiscus liliflorus, Hibiscus and Hibiscus boryanus Genevi it forms the Lilibiscus section of the genus. Cladistic tests of the section mid-1990 confirmed the monophyly regardless of wider dissemination of the Mascarene Islands and the Pacific with the lack in the regions in between.
Cultural History
A 1960 published in the magazine Modern Photography Photo of Hibiscus fragilis nature photographer Patricia Caulfield served Andy Warhol in 1964 as the basis for one of his famous silkscreen prints, the subject he took in 1974 for a large painting ( "Flowers" ) again.