Hibiscus manihot is a perennial plant with annuals flowers, 1 to 2 m in height that grows rather in temperate zones. It prefers well-drained soil but of various kinds and a sunny exposure. The flower color varies from white to light yellow. Flowering occurs between August and October.
The plant has medicinal properties, it is emmenagogue and sedative for pain. Its flowers and leaves are edible.
The roots contain a mucilage which is a polysaccharide, a copolymer of D-galacturonic acid and L-rhamnose. This viscous material is added to pulp to increase its viscosity and thus delay the settling of fibers in the tank. In addition, the mucilage allows a better dispersion of the long fibers. The solution is unstable and its viscosity decreases with the heat, prolonged exposure to air and mechanical agitation. So, during the work, the papermaker will add mucilage gradually as its viscosity decreases.
In the late 19th century, it seems that the use of the mucilage from the Hibiscus manihot replaced the use of other plants to become the dominant mucilage throughout East Asia.
