Lagunaria

Lagunaria is a genus in the family Malvaceae. It is an Australian plant which is native to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and parts of coastal Queensland.[1] It has been introduced to many parts of the world. The genus was named for its resemblance to the earlier genus Laguna Cav., which was named in honour of Andrés Laguna, a Spanish botanist and a physician to Pope Julius III.

The leaves are evergreen,[5] [6] though they change with age. They are a dark green colour in the earlier stages of their development, with the undersides possessing a scale like quality and are of a silver colour.[4] Both sides become a pale green colour as they age and the scaley underside becomes smooth.[4] They have an elliptical shape and become narrower as the plant starts to flower.[7] They are eight centimetres in length and three and a half centimetres in width on average.[8]

The flower fades from a deep pink colour to a white and pale pink as it ages.[6][9] It is similar in appearance to a hibiscus.[6] It has a diamater ranging from 1.5 – 3 inches.[6] Each flower normally has 3-5 petals.[10]

The flower grows from a short, thick pedicel in the axil of the leaf.[4] It blooms in the summertime,[4] between the months of October and February.[8]

The epicalyx is made of three to five large segments which are joined at the base. These form a protective layer over the flower when it is in bud.[6][9] The calyx have four to five lobes which are derived from the connate sepals.[6]

Lagunaria was first discovered by Colonel W. Paterson, who first sent seeds to England while stationed on Norfolk Island in 1792.[4] Paterson was only an amateur botanist, the manuscript of flora he compiled during his time there being evidence of this.[12] Paterson was on Norfolk Island between the 4th of November 1791 and the 9th of March 1793.[12]