183 xxv. malvace.e (masters). \_Abutilon. 



ticulatum, Fres. Mus. Senk. i. 182. A. albidum, Webb et Berthelot, Canar. 

 iii. 39. t. 2. Sida Kotschyi, Hoclist. mss. S. gracilis, E. Br. in Salt, 

 Abyss. App. 65. 



Nile Land. Sennar, Kotschy ! Kordofan, Kotschy ! Nubia, Soturba, Schweinfurth ! 

 Abyssinia, Salt! 



The plant varies in the size of its leaves. It occurs in Upper Egypt, the Canaries, as 

 well as in Arabia, Aden, Palestine, and Scinde. 



From a manuscript note attached to Salt's Abyssinian specimens, in the British Museum, 

 it appears that the flowers of this species expand in the daytime only, most Abutilons being 

 evening flowerers. It is curious that the same thing has been noticed by Stocks in Scinde, 

 who says of the present species, " Unlike the other Abutilons, this oue expands its flowers 

 in the middle of the day, like the Sidas." 



6. MALACHRA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 205. 



Bractlets numerous, arranged with the flowei-s in dense heads ; the outer 

 ones large, foliaceous ; the inner ones linear, crowded, but not forming a dis- 

 tinct epicalyx to each flower. Calyx 5 -parted. Column short, truncate or 

 5-toothed. Ovary 5-celled. Styles. 10. Stigmas capitate. Ripe carpels 

 separating from the axis, obovoid, indehiscent or slightly dehiscent at the 

 upper and inner edge. Seeds reniform, one in each carpel. Radicle inferior. 

 — Hispid herbs, with angular or lobed leaves ; flowers yellowish white or 

 purplish, in dense axillary or terminal clusters. 



The species are widely distributed throughout the tropics of both hemispheres. 

 Leaves roundish, slightly 3-7-lobed ; lobes broad, at least at the base . 1. M. capitata. 

 Leaves deeply 3-7-parted ; lobes narrow 2. M. radiata. 



1. M. capitata, Linn.; DC. Prod. i. 440. An erect, coarsely hairy 

 perennial, with roundish stalked leaves. Flowers in axillary and terminal 

 heads, shortly stalked. Bracts 3 or 4, roundish, acute, with a white spot at 

 the base. Calyx 5-parted, its lobes subulate. Petals yellow or white, 2 or 

 3 times longer than the calyx. Fruit subglobose or turbinate, depressed, ot 

 5 slightly rough carpels. — M. hispida, Quill, et Perr. Fl. Seneg. i. 47- 



Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Perrottet ! 

 Lower Guinea. Congo, Smith ! 

 A common West Indian plant. 



2. M. radiata, Linn. ; DC. Prod.L 440. An erect perennial or under- 

 shrub, coarsely hairy with spreading hairs. Leaves on short stalks, palmately 

 5-7-sect; segments oblong, lanceolate, crenate, serrulate, pilose. Stipules 

 linear. Flowers numerous, in terminal, subglobose heads, 1-2 in. diara. 

 Bracts of the involucre 5 or more, very shortly stalked, suborbicular, obtuse 

 or provided with a long tail-like point. Bractlets verv numerous, linear, M 

 long as or longer than the urceolate 5-cleft calyx, whose segments are del- 

 toid and densely hispid. Corolla reddish, twice the length of the calyx. 

 Fruit turbinate, depressed in the centre. Carpels 5, oblong, obtuse, thm. 

 submembranous, reticulate, half the length of the calyx. 



Upper Guinea. Niger, Barter! 

 Lower Guinea. Congo, Smith I 

 Occurs also in Mexico, the West Indies, Brazil, and other parts of S. America. 



