Sea Hibiscus🌺

An evergreen tree in the mallow family, distributed along tropical and subtropical coasts. Native to Okinawa, the Amami Islands, and the Ogasawara Islands. An important windbreak and salt-tolerant coastal tree. The large bright yellow flowers open in the morning, turn orange to red by afternoon, and fall by evening — each flower lasts a single day. Bark fibres are used for ropes and cloth, including Polynesian 'purauke'. The Japanese name 'yūna' appears in the Manyōshū.

Identification Points

• ✓Large leathery cordate to round leaves
• ✓Large flowers shifting yellow → orange → red in one day
• ✓Coastal, salt-tolerant

Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification

Phylogenetic Positionアオイ科 →