{{Short description|Genus of plants}} {{Speciesbox |image = Fruit I IMG 9205.jpg |image_caption = Foliage and fruit in Kolkata, West Bengal, India |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = {{R|IUCN}} |display_parents = 3 |genus = Kleinhovia |parent_authority = L.{{R|POWO}} |species = hospita |authority = L.{{R|POWO2}} |synonyms = ''See text'' }}
'''''Kleinhovia''''' is a monotypic genus of plants in the cotton, hibiscus and cacao family Malvaceae. The sole species in the genus is '''''Kleinhovia hospita''''', commonly known as '''guest tree''', an evergreen tree native to Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of tropical Asia and the Pacific.
== Description == {{technical|section|date=April 2024}} {{Verify section|date=April 2024}} ''Kleinhovia hospita'' is an evergreen, bushy tree growing up to {{cvt|20|m}} high, with a dense rounded crown and upright pink sprays of flowers and fruits. Leaves are simple and alternate; stipules are ensiform to linear, about {{cvt|8|mm|2}} long; petioles are up to {{cvt|30|cm}} long; the leaf-blade is ovate to heart-shaped, glabrous on both sides, with the apex pointed. Secondary veins occur in 6–8 pairs, palmately nerved.
The flowers of ''K. hospita'' are terminal, in loose panicles protruding from the crown; flowers are about {{cvt|5|mm|2}} wide, coloured pale pink; pedicels are up to {{cvt|10|mm|2}} long; bracteoles are lanceolate, to {{cvt|4|mm|2}} long, {{botanygloss|pubescent}}; gynandrophores are about {{cvt|6|mm|2}} long and pubescent; there are 5 sepals, linear lanceolate, about {{cvt|7|mm|2}} long, pink, tomentose; 5 petals, inconspicuous, the upper one being yellow; 15 stamens, {{Botanygloss|monadelphous}}, up to {{cvt|15|mm|2}} long, staminal tube broadly campanulate, adanate to gynandrophore, 5-lobed, each lobe having 3 anthers and alternating with staminodes; the anthers are sessile and extrorse; pistil occur with a 5-celled, pilose ovary, one style and a capitate, with a 5-lobed stigma. ''K. hospita'' flowers throughout the year.
Fruit production starts early, often in the third year after planting. The fruit of ''K. hospita'' are rounded, 5-lobed, thin-walled, membranous capsules, {{cvt|2.5|cm}} in diameter, loculicidally dehiscent, each locule having 1–2 seeds. The seeds are globose, whitish, warty and exalbuminous.<ref name=Latiff>Lattiff, pp 166–167</ref> The fruits are more conspicuous than the flowers because of their abundance and size.
==Range== ''Kleinhovia'''s range includes Bangladesh, Christmas Island, Peninsular Malaysia, Vietnam, Hainan, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, Caroline Islands, Lesser Sunda Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Samoan Islands, and Society Islands.{{R|POWO2}}
It has been introduced to the Comoro Islands, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Windward Islands.{{R|POWO2}}
== Uses == ''Kleinhovia hospita'' has been used as a traditional medicine to treat scabies in parts of Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Arung |first1=Enos Tangke |last2=Kusuma |first2=Irawan Wijaya |last3=Purwatiningsih |first3=Sri |last4=Roh |first4=Seong-Soo |last5=Yang |first5=Chae Ha |last6=Jeon |first6=Soohyeon |last7=Kim |first7=Yong-Ung |last8=Sukaton |first8=Edi |last9=Susilo |first9=Joko |last10=Astuti |first10=Yuli |last11=Wicaksono |first11=Britanto Dani |last12=Sandra |first12=Ferry |last13=Shimizu |first13=Kuniyoshi |last14=Kondo |first14=Ryuichiro |date=2009-12-01 |title=Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of the Traditional Indonesian Medicine Tahongai (Kleinhovia hospita L.) Extract |journal=Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=306–308 |doi=10.1016/S2005-2901(09)60073-X |pmid=20633507 |issn=2005-2901|doi-access=free }}</ref> The bark and leaves has been used as a hair wash for lice, while the juice of the leaves can be used as an eyewash.<ref name=":0" /> Young leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Bast fibres are used for making ropes used for tying or for tethering livestock.{{R|STUARTX}}
The wood of ''K. hospita'' shows a pinkish buff and is moderately fine in texture, soft, light, easy to season, work and finish. Its energy value is about 19000 kJ/kg. The leaves and bark contain cyanogenic compounds that are assumed to help to kill ectoparasites such as lice. Extracts of the leaves have shown anti-tumour activity against sarcoma in mice. A number of fatty acids with a cyclopropenylic ring (scopoletin, kaempferol, and quercetin) have been isolated from the leaves.{{R|PROSEA}}
''Kleinhovia hospita'' is used for ornamental purposes: the attractiveness of the pink panicles accounts for its spread as an ornamental.
The tree bark of ''Kleinhovia hospita'' has a good potential as a reinforcement for ''Fiber Reinforced Composite'' because of its high mechanical strength.{{R|GAPSARI}}
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed"> File:Bataria teak (1095214344).jpg|Mature tree File:Leaves I IMG 9210.jpg|Foliage File:Kleinhovia hospita Blanco2.328.png|Colour plate by Francisco Manuel Blanco File:Kleinhovia hospita (Bola) in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 0480.jpg|Budding inflorescence File:Kleinhovia hospita 5Dsr 3369-01.jpg|Close up of flowers File:Pollen grains of Kleinhovia hospita.jpg|Pollen grains File:Kleinhovia hospita (753479932).jpg|Flowers and fruit </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist|28em|refs= <ref name="IUCN">{{cite iucn |author=Liu, B., Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. |year=2019 |title=''Kleinhovia hospita'' |volume=2019 |article-number=e.T147651836A147651838 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T147651836A147651838.en |access-date=10 April 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="POWO">{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:38746-1 |title=''Kleinhovia'' L. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=2024 |access-date=10 April 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="POWO2">{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:824074-1 |title=''Kleinhovia hospita'' L. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=2024 |access-date=10 April 2024}}</ref>
<ref name="STUARTX">{{cite web |last1=Stuart |first1=Godofredo |title=Tan-ag, ''Kleinhovia hospita'' Linn., GUEST TREE |url=http://www.stuartxchange.org/Tan-ag.html |website=Stuart Exchange |publisher=G. Stuart |access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref>
<ref name="GAPSARI"> {{cite journal | last1 = Gapsari | first1 = Femiana | last2 = Purnowidodo | first2 = Anindito | last3 = Hidayatullah | first3 = Syarif | last4 = Suteja | first4 = Suteja | date = 10 June 2021 | title = Characterization of Timoho Fiber as a reinforcement in green composite | journal = Journal of Materials Research and Technology | volume = 13 | pages = 1305–1315 | doi = 10.1016/j.jmrt.2021.05.049 | s2cid = 236312528 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
<ref name="PROSEA">{{cite book |last1=Latiff |first1=A. |editor1-last=Faridah Hanum |editor1-first=I. |editor2-last=van der Maesen |editor2-first=L.J.G. |title=Plant Resources of South-East Asia |volume=11 |date=1997 |publisher=PROSEA Foundation |location=Bogor, Indonesia |url=https://prosea.prota4u.org/view.aspx?id=3021 |access-date=10 April 2024}}</ref> }}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *[https://flickriver.com/search/Kleinhovia+hospita/ View images] of this species on Flickriver.com *[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?iconic_taxa=Plantae&place_id=any&subview=table&taxon_id=346180 View observations] of this species on iNaturalist
{{Taxonbar|from=Q15732517|from2=Q2233432}}
Category:Byttnerioideae Category:Monotypic Malvaceae genera Category:Trees of China Category:Trees of Taiwan Category:Flora of tropical Asia Category:Flora of Queensland Category:Flora of the Society Islands Category:Trees of Fiji Category:Flora of American Samoa Category:Flora of Samoa Category:Malvales of Australia Category:Medicinal plants Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus