roselle

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Sabdariffa rubra
• Hibiscus cuneatus
• Sabdariffa digitata
• Furcaria sabdariffa
• Hibiscus palmatilobus
• Hibiscus fraternus
• Hibiscus digitatus var. kerrianus
• Hibiscus masuianus
• Hibiscus gossypifolius

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is categorized within the order Malvales and the family Malvacaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Hibiscus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing in Egypt. Moving toward the West Tropical Africa region, its presence is noted in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, the plant is widely distributed through the coastal and inland areas of Gambia. Finally, its reach extends significantly into the territory of Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Hibiscus sabdariffa is characterized by its adaptability to diverse tropical and subtropical environments, thriving across a broad altitudinal gradient. This species can be found growing at various altitudes, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1700 m AMSL. It typically favors well-drained, fertile soils and requires significant sunlight to support its growth cycle. The plant is well-suited to regions with distinct seasonal patterns, often performing optimally in warm climates with adequate rainfall, though it possesses a degree of resilience to varying environmental conditions within its specified elevational range.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Hibiscus sabdariffa is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological classification and growth habit, it is categorized as a therophyte, a life form that typically survives unfavorable seasons as ephemeral seeds rather than maintaining perennial vegetative structures. This therophytic nature ensures that the plant can rapidly colonize suitable environments, utilizing its seasonal growth period to reach maturity and produce the prolific seeds necessary for the next generation before the onset of environmental stressors.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Hibiscus sabdariffa is characterized by a growth form classified as both a herb and a forb, manifesting as a non-woody, self-supporting plant. It functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. The plant's stature is variable, with heights ranging from a minimum of 1 m to a maximum of 5 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 2.5 m. As a self-supporting structure, it does not exhibit climbing behaviors such as liana or vine growth, instead maintaining its upright position through its herbaceous architecture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

2.5 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Hibiscus sabdariffa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation strategies. The plant's vegetative structure includes leaves that exhibit significant morphological variability in size; specifically, the leaf length typically ranges from a minimum of 2 cm to a mean of 5 cm, reaching a maximum of 8 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 0.5 cm and a maximum of 1.5 cm, with a mean width of approximately 1 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on available soil nitrogen for its nutritional requirements and growth processes.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length mean:

5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

1.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

1 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Hibiscus sabdariffa is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily facilitated by insects. This reproductive strategy ensures genetic exchange through animal vectors, which are essential for the successful fertilization of the plant. Additionally, the species is capable of self-fertilization, allowing for reproductive success even when external pollinators are limited. Once fertilization is complete, the plant produces seeds with varying physical characteristics; the seed mass typically ranges from a minimum of 0.0129 g to a maximum of 0.02916 g, with an overall mean seed mass of approximately 0.020865 g.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.02916 g

Seed mass mean:

0.020865 g

Seed mass min:

0.0129 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Hibiscus sabdariffa has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Food chemistry
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Flower

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Chemicals

Hibiscus sabdariffa has 206 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Anthocyanins, ANTHOCYANIN, Flavonoids, Ash, ascorbic acid.

Anthocyanins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. International journal of biological macromolecules
5. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

ANTHOCYANIN

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BioMed research international
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Cells
5. Food chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Recent advances in inflammation & allergy drug discovery
3. Heliyon
4. Biomedicines
5. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Ash

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Scientific reports
4. Heliyon

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

polyphenols

1. Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Delphinidin 3-sambubioside

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product communications
3. Journal of oral biosciences

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Scientific reports

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of medicine and medical sciences
3. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet

Activities

Hibiscus sabdariffa has 627 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antihypertensive, Diuretic, Neuroprotective, Antihyperglycemic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft fur Toxikologische Pathologie
3. International journal of biological macromolecules
4. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
5. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Planta medica
4. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Recent advances in inflammation & allergy drug discovery
4. Planta medica
5. Biomedicines

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Recent advances in inflammation & allergy drug discovery
3. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
4. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihyperglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Recent advances in inflammation & allergy drug discovery
3. Biomedicines

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicines

Antiapoptotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Conditions

Hibiscus sabdariffa has 75 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, COVID-19, hyperglycemia.

Hypertension

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
2. Cardiovascular & hematological agents in medicinal chemistry
3. Journal of human hypertension
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Planta medica

Obesity

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
3. Biological trace element research
4. Acta cirurgica brasileira
5. International journal of molecular sciences

Hyperlipidemia

1. Journal of the American Nutrition Association
2. Metabolism open
3. Acta cirurgica brasileira
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Covid-19

1. Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Photochemistry Association and the European Society for Photobiology
2. Avicenna journal of medical biotechnology
3. Current therapeutic research, clinical and experimental

Hyperglycemia

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Metabolism open
3. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Inflammation

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Metabolism open
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Oxidative stress

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Metabolism open

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Microorganisms
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Apoptosis

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
2. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Blood pressure

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Food chemistry

Preparations

Hibiscus sabdariffa has 33 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extracts, aqueous extract, extract, powder, Aqueous extract.

Extracts

1. Metabolism open
2. Journal of oral biosciences
3. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous extract

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of separation science

Extract

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR
2. Journal of the American Nutrition Association

Powder

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous extract

1. PloS one

Extracts

1. Natural product communications

Hs

1. Cells

Hs extract

1. Cells

Hs tea

1. Acta cirurgica brasileira

Hse

1. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry