Study species and site
Hibiscus mutabilis (Malvaceae) is a hermaphroditic perennial shrub or small tree cultivated in many areas of both north and south China. This species is almost certainly native to China but was domesticated a long time ago. Flowering individuals can grow up to 2~5 m high. Flowers are solitary and axillary on the upper branches. Each flower is actinomorphic, with five petals, one staminal column, five styles, and one campanulate calyx. The corolla is white or reddish. The nectary is located at the base of the calyx. Flowering generally occurs from July to November. The flower longevity of one single flower lasts only 1~2 days. This study was conducted during the flowering season of 2023 in a field located at 104°45′29″E, 30°40′45″N, 433.1 m above sea level, about 39 km southeast of Jintang County, Sichuan Province, China.