- Sida fallax
-
Sida fallax 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Genus: Sida Species: S. fallax Binomial name Sida fallax
Walp.Sida fallax, known as ʻilima in Hawaiian, is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the Hibiscus family, Malvaceae, that occurs on most of the Pacific Islands. The flowers are small, 0.75–1 in (1.9–2.5 cm) in diameter, have five petals, and are a golden yellow in color. Plants may be erect or prostrate and are found in drier areas in sandy soils, often near the ocean. ʻIlima is the symbol of Laloimehani and is the flower for the island of Oʻahu.
Uses
Native Hawaiians used ʻilima flowers to make lei.[1] S. fallax is sometimes used as a groundcover in tropical areas.
References
- ^ "ʻilima, apiki, ʻilima lei, kapuaokanakamaimai. ʻilima ku kala, ʻilima makanaʻa". Hawaiian Ethnobotany Database. Bernice P. Bishop Museum. http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/resultsdetailed.asp?search=ilima. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
External links
- Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database: Sida fallax
- "ʻIlima". Native Hawaiian Plants. Kapiʻolani Community College. http://old.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pilima.htm.
This Malvales-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
