Trochetia boutoniana

the national flower : Mauritius

Flower name
Trochetia boutoniana
Scientific name
Trochetia boutoniana
AliasTrochetia-boutoniana, トロチェティア, トロセティア
Place of originendemic to the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius)
Place of floweringBotanical Gardens, Horticultural species, Potted flower
Flowering seasonMay, June, July, August, September, October
Language of flowersCompassion

What is Trochetia boutoniana

Trochetia boutoniana (scientific name: Trochetia boutoniana) is a shrub of the mallow family Malvaceae endemic to the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius), and was chosen as the national flower when Mauritius became a Republic on March 12, 1992. It grows wild on the mountainous dress of Mount Le Morne (556 m above sea level) on Le Morne Brabant, a peninsula located at the southwestern tip of Mauritius. The tree is 2 to 3 meters tall. The leaves are ovate to elliptic. The petals are asymmetrical, and the flowers are orange with a reddish tinge and bloom from June to October. The nectar is scarlet. The Mauritius Ornate Gecko (Phelsuma ornata), a gecko with red dotted lines on a green background, hummingbirds (Trichilus polytmus) and bees (Bees) are pollinators and nectar feeders. It is depicted on a postage stamp of Mauritius. After flowering, a spherical capsule is produced with about 10 spherical black seeds inside.

The genus Trochetia

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There are six species in the genus Trochetia.
Trochetia parviflora (Mauritius, endangered)
T. boutoniana - Mauritius, endangered
T. blackburniana-Mauritius, endangered
T. uniflora-Mauritius, endangered
T. triflora-Mauritius
T. granulata - found in La Reunion

Common name: Trochetia boutoniana, scientific name: Trochetia boutoniana, also known as boucle d'oreille (Creole), Trochetia, Height: 2 to 3 m, Leaf shape Oval to elliptic, Flower color: orange with reddish tinge, Flowering season: June to October, Fruit type: capsule, Fruit shape: spherical, Seed: 10 black seeds.