Hibiscus ( hibiscus rosa-sinensis )

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Family : Malvaceae

Sanskrit Name : Japakusuma

Hindi Name : Gurhal

 

There are no less than 300 different species of hibiscus can be found

around the world, thriving in tropical and subtropical regions, it is

basically a tropical Asia plant. It is cultivated and found as a

garden escape in certain parts of Florida. Because of its beauty, H.

rosa-sinesis is one of the most widely cultivated of them. The plant

flowers profusely in red, orange or purplish-red shades and it

flowers throughout the year with five flaring petals. Although the

brilliantly hued, large blossoms rarely last for more than a day or

two, new buds appear every morning, so that the hibiscus is

constantly bloom. The filamentslike reproductive organs of the flower

protrude conspicuously from the center.

 

H. rosa-sinesis has also been praised for its medicinal value. The

flowers reportedly serve as an astringent, while the root contains

some mucilage, which is known to have a soothing effect on the mucous

membranes that line the respiratory and digestive tracts. Women in

some part of Asia have used the bark to bring about normal

menstruation. The seeds were at one time believed to be effective for

cramps and as a stimulant. The root yields a drug which Ayurveda

believes to be useful in treating veneral disease. An extract from

the hibiscus flower is also used in preventing unwanted pregnancies,

inhibiting the flow of semen in men, and bringing on temporary

sterility in women.

 

The hibiscus is also the source of a black dye that was used for

varying purposes in the far east, from blackening shoes to tinting

woman's hair and eyebrows. Chinese and Indian women have

traditionally boiled the flowers and leaves of hibiscus, then mixed

the infusion with herbal oil before applying it to their hair as a

stimulant to the growth of luxurious tresses. But the plant's

greatest value lies in the beauty of its flowers and the tasty tea

that can be brewed from its petals.

 

In Hindu Mythology the hibiscus is the flower offered in the worship

of the Goddess especially to Kali.