Flower and leaves. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Leaves and old seed cases. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Flowering plant. Australian Plant Image Index, photo: Murray Fagg, NNW of Mullewa, WA

Young plant. Photo: Don Wood, Scotia Sanctuary, NSW

Common Name

Bush Hibiscus, Desert Rose Mallow, Knobby Hibiscus, Desert Mallow

Family

Malvaceae

Notes

Shrub to 2.5m tall, with annual stems from a woody base.  Leaves alternating up the stems, bases cordate, 4-15cm long, 40-150mm wide, flat, hairy, toothed, often with shallow lobes.  Flowers pink to mauve or pale purple, with 5 petals, usually 2-3 on very short stems arising from the bases of the leaves.  Vulnerable Vic.

Description and photo in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales page 479

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Radyera~farragei