430 SPECIMENS OF HIBISCUS COLLECTED IK E. TROPICAL AFRICA. 



rence as an indigenous plant ; and none of tlie specimens in the 

 Kew herbarium claim to be wild ones. Dr. Eoxburgh says it is 

 wild in Hindostan, though he himself had only found it cultivated 

 (PL Indica, iii. 194). Wight aud Arnott give no locality in their 

 1 Prodromus Flone Peninsulas Indise-orientalis,' p. 49, and say the 

 seeds are unknown, and the fruit, they believe, has been de- 

 scribed only by Loureiro*. 



Dr. Masters, in ' Flora Indica, 1 i. 344, published last year, says 

 H. rosa-sinensis is cultivated in gardens throughout India. He 

 had not seen wild specimens, and cites Loureiro for the fruit- 

 characters. 



II. rosa-sinensis has been recently fruited in Scotland by Mr. H. 

 Grorrie, in the gardens of Mauldslie Castle, Carlake, JST.B. ; and 

 Professor Dyer has kindly brought me specimens " set " by Mr. 

 Grorrie. General Munro, O.B., also has quite lately sent fruits 

 from Barbadoes, where they ripen freely. Specimens of capsules 

 after dehiscence and of the seeds, which are rotundate-reniforin, 

 dark-coloured or black, and rough with numerous stout tubercle- 

 based setae, are now laid before the Society. I do not find any 

 important difference between Dr. Kirk's single fruit and thos.e oi 

 the true plant. Dr. Kirk's capsule seems to have been gathered 

 before it was ripe ; and the seeds are not sufficiently matured for 

 satisfactory comparison. 



It would perhaps be premature, in the absence of matured seeds 

 of the indigenous TropicaL African plant, to express a decided opi- 

 nion as to its specific identity, or otherwise, with the long-familiar 

 II. rosa-sinensis. For my own part, notwithstanding the remarks 

 able divergences between them, I incline to regard them as con- 

 specific. 



* Fl. Coehinchin. p. 419. " Capsula subrotunda 5-locularis polysperraa 

 Habitat tarn culta quam spontanea in Cochin China ct China.' 



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