Thespesia lampas (Ban Kapas, Common Mallow )
Botanical Information
| Family | Malvaceae |
| Genus | Thespesia |
| Species | lampas |
| Synonyms | Abelmoschus zollingeri, Azanza lampas, Bupariti lampas, Hibiscus lampas. |
| Type | Vine |
| References | Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2019-07-09. |
| Origin | China, India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | The roots and fruit are employed as a remedy for gonorrhea and syphilis. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Height | 2 - 3 m |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | An erect, slightly branched shrub to 2-3 m in height. |
| ID Characteristic | Plants start flowering and producing fruit when they are about 1 - 2 m tall. |
| Propagation | By seed. |
| Notable Specimens | Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. |
| Habitat | In open places and thickets at low and medium altitudes. |
| Leaf Description | An ovate, 10-20 cm long, somewhat 3-lobed or nearly entire, green and nearly smooth on the upper surface, somewhat hairy beneath, broad and heart-shaped at the base and pointed at the tip. |
| Flower Description | Large flowers, and borne in threes in the apex of the branches or at the axils of the leaves. The calyx is green, with 5 pointed lobes united below the middle. The corolla is bell-shaped, 6-8 cm long, yellow, and dark-purple at the center. |
Photographs
Thespesia lampas, form, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
Thespesia lampas, leaf, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
Thespesia lampas, leaf, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.