Hibiscus section Muenchhusia

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Introduction

Section Muenchhusia is a small section of the genus Hibiscus, composed of 5 or more species of hardy herbaceous perennials, native to North America, cultivated for their large "dinner plate" flowers.

Species

The 5 universally recognised species are Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus dasycalyx, Hibiscus grandiflorus, Hibiscus laevis and Hibiscus moscheutos. Either or both of Hibiscus lasiocarpos and Hibiscus palustris may be split from Hibiscus moscheutos.

Hibiscus coccineus Walter
 scarlet rosemallow

Hibiscus coccineus is found in the southeastern United States (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missisippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia).

Hibiscus semilobatus Chapm. is a synonym of Hibiscus coccineus.

Hibiscus dasycalyx S.F. Blake & Shiller
 Neches River rosemallow

Hibiscus dasycalyx has a restricted distribution in Texas.

There are no known synonyms of Hibiscus dasycalyx.

Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx.
 Swamp Rose Mallow

Hibiscus grandiflorus is found in the southeastern United States (Texas, Louisiana, Missisippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia), and also in Cuba.

Hibiscus urbanii Helwig is a synonym of Hibiscus grandiflorus.

Hibiscus laevis All.
 halberdleaf rosemallow

Hibiscus laevis All. is also known as Hibiscus miltaris Cav. It is found in eastern North America from southern Ontario to Texas and Florida.

Hibiscus militaris Cav. is a synonym of Hibiscus laevis.

Hibiscus moscheutos L.
 Crimson-eyed Rose Mallow, mallow-rose, Rose Mallow, Swamp Rose Mallow
 soohibisk
 Bahnowa hodźinka
 mocsármályva
 Kusa-Fuyo
 fu rong kui
 Mi-guk-bu-yong

Hibiscus moscheutos is found from in eastern North America from southern Ontario to Chihuahua and Florida, and west to California. It is also found in North Africa and southern Europe, where it is believed to be naturalised rather than native. The name Hibiscus roseus has been applied to those populations.

Synonyms of Hibiscus moscheutos include Abelmoschus palustris Walp. and Abelmoschus roseus Walp..Synonyms of Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. moscheutos include Abelmoschus aquaticus Walp., Althaea grandiflora Scop., Hibiscus incanus Wendl.f., Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. incanus (Wendl. f.) Ahles, Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. palustris (L.) Clausen, Hibiscus moscheutos var. purpurascens Sweet, Hibiscus oculiroseus Britton, Hibiscus opulifolius Greene, Hibiscus palustris L., Hibiscus pinetorum Greene and Hibiscus roseus Thore. Synonyms of Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. lasiocarpos include Hibiscus californicus Kellogg, Hibiscus lasiocarpos Cav., Hibiscus leucophyllus Shiller, Hibiscus moscheutos var. occidentalis Torr. and Hibiscus platanoides Greene.

Hybrids

Hybrids can be created between all pairs of species, and also between all of these species and Hibiscus mutabilis (section Venusti). (In the latter case only with Hibiscus mutabilis as the seed parent.) Consequently it may be worth attempting to create hybrids between species in section Muenchhusia and other species in section Venusti. Intrasectional hybrids have contributed to the variety of cultivars belonging to this section.

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