Hibiscus vitifolius leaf

The leaf of Hibiscus vitifolius gave the plant its specific name. Vitifolius means resembling the leaf of the grape vine. It is sometimes three-lobed to five-lobed but may also be unlobed and ovate to cordate in shape. Leaf margins are toothed while leaf blade hairiness varies. There are five to nine veins radiating from the leaf base; further branching of these veins occurs higher up. The leaf size varies from 3 cm to 15 cm.

The lobed and unlobed leaf forms may be associated with the somewhat obscure and uncertain separation of H. vitifolius into two subspecies, viz. subsp. vitifolius (lobed or more lobed leaves, growing in forest and forest margin areas) and subsp. vulgaris (unlobed or less lobed leaves, growing in grassland and woodland, the more common plant) (Pooley, 1998; Manning, 2009; Blundell, 1992; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).