% ** ffl -] XXV. MALVACEAE (MASTERS). 209 



1. P. digitata, Pers. ; DC. Prod. i. 457. Shrubby with erect, rod- 

 p*e, angular branches, slightly winged at the angles. Leafstalks about an 

 inch in length, shorter than the roundish, deeply palmisect leaves, whose 5-7 

 lobes are oblong, sinuous or somewhat lobed, nearly smooth on both surfaces. 

 Stipules minute, linear, falcate. Peduncles axillary, as long as or longer than 

 the petiole, angular, dilated towards the top. Epicalyx of 10-12 distinct, 

 minute, linear segments. Calyx bell-shaped, 5 -parted ; segments oblong, 

 acuminate, 3-nerved, sprinkled with black dots. Corolla yellow, 1-2 in. in 

 **m. Capsule shorter than the calyx, subglobose, mucronate, loculicidally 

 •5-4-valved ; valves woody, broadly ovate, mucronate. Seeds covered with 

 reddish cottony down.— Cienfugosia digitata, Cav. Diss. hi. 174. t. 72. f. 2. 



u PPer Guinea. Senegambia, Heudelot I Sieber ! Terrottet ! 



13. THESPESIA, Corr. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 208. 



Bractlets 3-8, small or deciduous. Calyx minutely 5-dentate, rarely 5- 



cleft. Column toothed at the apex. Ovary 5-celled, each cell with a few ovules. 



Styles club-shaped, with 5 grooves. Capsule woody, coriaceous, opening 



■ foulicidally or almost indehiscent. Seeds obovoid glabrous or tomentose. 



, Cotyledons much folded, enclosing the radicle, often marked with small black 



l«ots. — Tall trees or shrubs. Leaves entire or lobed. Flowers yellow. 



Distinguished from Hibiscus by the confluent stigmas, the more woody capsule, and the 

 "•ovoid compressed seeds. 



Wes cordate, ovate, acuminate 1. T. populnea. 



«t»es pahnately -lobed 2. T. Lampas. 



1. T. populnea, Cav. ; DC. Prod. i. 456. A small tree whose younger 

 I branches as well as the petioles, pedicels, and calyx are covered with small 

 P«ltate scales. Leaves on long stalks, cordate, ovate, acuminate, 7-nerved, 

 smooth, leathery, entire or sinuous. Stipules falcate. Flowers solitary, 

 Hillary, stalked. Peduncle shorter than the petiole. Epicalyx of 5 oblong- 

 Weol'ate, deciduous segments, as long as or longer than the cup-shaped entire 

 0r slightly 5-toothed calyx. Corolla nearly 2 inches in length, four times 

 feeding the calyx. Fruit roundish, depressed, slightly beaked, 5-celled, 

 'ndehiscent or opening to a slight extent at the top. Seeds 2 in each cell of 

 P fruit, large, compressed laterally near the hilum, roundish above ; testa 

 Pubescent, nervose-striate. — Hibiscus popnlneus, Linn. Sp. 976. 



Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Perrottet ! Heudelot I 

 Mosamb. Distr. Luabo, Dr. Kirk ! E. tropical Africa, Speke ! 

 Distributed probably by cultivation in India, Ceylon, the W. Indies, the Fiji, and Loo- 

 cllo o islands ; generally growing in moist situations near the seacoast. 



. 2 - T. Lampas, Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PL i. 209. A tree covered in 

 P herbaceous portions with fine stellate down. Leaves stalked, 3-4 in. across, 

 ^date, palmately 3-lobed ; lobes generally very pointed or in some varieties 

 ° b tuse, sinuous, slightly hairy above, very downy below. Peduncles axil- 

 JJ. 1-3- or more flowered, jointed in the middle, often with a small leaf or 

 bra ct proceeding from the joint. Epicalyx of 8 or more deciduous segments, 

 mm longer than the calyx, which latter is cup-shaped, 5 -lobed ; lobes 



v OL. I. P 



