Thespesia populneoides (Roxb.) Kostel., Allg. Med. Pharm. Fl. 5: 1861. 1836; Voigt, Hort. Sub. Calc. 120. 1845. Hibiscus populneoides Roxb., [Hort. Beng. 51. 1814, nom. nud.] Fl. Ind. 3: 190. 1832.

Trees, 3 - 8 m tall; twigs densely brownish lepidote giving coppery appearance. Leaves 5 - 20 x 5.5 - 15 cm, deltoid to subcordate, shallowly cordate or subtruncate with a broad sinus at base, acute to acuminate at apex, entire, 7-nerved at base, prominent with domatia in axils of main veins beneath, densely brownish lepidote; petioles 5 - 8 cm, brownish lepidote; stipules subulate to lanceolate, early caducous. Flowers solitary, axillary; pedicels 8 - 12 cm long, curving downwards, densely brownish lepidote. Epicalyx segments 3, 1 - 2 mm long, triangular-ovate, very early caducous. Calyx 8 - 10 mm high, ca 15 mm across, cupular, truncate or with 5 minute teeth, densely brownish lepidote outside, densely adpressed simple hairy inside, accrescent and flattened in fruit. Corolla light yellow with dark purple centre, 5 - 6 cm long, campanulate; petals obliquely obovate, rounded at apex, densley lepidote outside, glabrous inside. Staminal column included. Capsules globose, obtuse or slightly depressed at apex, exocarp smooth separated from the tough endocarp by loose fibrous-spongy mesocarp, dehiscing into 5 valves. Seeds ca 10 x 6 mm, obovoid, angular, densely covered with a short clavate or bulbous hairs.

Fl. & Fr. May-Jan.

Distrib. India: Coasts of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Myanmar, Indo-China, Malesia, Australia and Africa.