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L9. SiDA (J!ia) foliis cordatis acuminatis ferratis ncr- 

 vofis, floribus aggregatis axillaribus fcffilibus. Sida 

 with acute 'pointed^ hear t-Jh ape d^ fawed^ veined leaves^ 

 and flo-u:ers in clufiers fitting clofe to the wings of tbeftalL 

 ■ Malvinda foliis iubrotundis acuminatis, floribus albis 

 conglomeratis ad foliorum alas. Houft. MSS. Indian 

 Mallow with roundijh acute-pointed leaves^ and white 

 flowers in clufiers at the wings of the leaves, 

 Thefe plants grow naturally in the Weft-Indies, from 

 whence I have received the feeds of three or four fpe- 

 cies by the title of Broom Weed ; and I have been 

 informed that the inhabitants cut thefe plants 'in the 

 fame manner as we do Heath, arid make it up into 

 brooms for fweeping. Sometimes I have received the 

 feeds by the title of Weft-India Thea, fo that I fup- 

 pofe the leaves of thefe plants are fometimes ufed as 

 the Thea. There are certainly more fpecies of this 

 genus than are here mentioned, which have efcapcd 

 the notice of thofe who have been in the Weft-Indies 

 in fearch for plants, for we frequently have new forts 

 come up in the earth which is brought from thence 

 with other plants. Thofe here enumerated are un- 

 doubtedly diftind fpecies, for I have cultivated them 

 feveral years, and have never obferved either of them 

 change, when raifed from feeds. 

 The firft fort grows as far north as Virginia, from 

 whence I have, feveral times received the feeds ; this 

 grows with an upright branching ftalk three or four 

 feet high, garnifhed with oval fpear-Ihaped leaves, 

 about two inches long and one broad, fawed on their 

 edges, and fit clofe to the branches. The flowers 

 come out fingly from the wings of the ftalks, ftand- 

 ing upon very fliort foot-ftalks ; they have a fingle 

 empalement, cut into five obtufe fegments, and are 

 fmall, of a pale copper "colour, and of one petal, 

 which is cut into five parts almoft to the bottom, 

 where they are joined. In the center arifes a fmall 

 column compofed of the feveral ftamina and ftyle 

 which are connected together at bottom, but arc fepa- 

 rated above. When the flowers decay, the germen 

 turns to a capfule with five cells inclofed by the em- 

 palement j in each cell is contained one angular feed, 

 gibbous on one fide, having two horns or teeth at 

 the point. This plant flowers till the froft flops it, 

 and the feeds ripen in autumn. 

 The fecond has hairy branching ftalks which rife near 

 three feet high. The branches of this come out 

 from the bottom almoft to the top, and form 5^ py- 

 ramidal bufh ; the leaves are longer and narrower, 

 the faw on the edges deeper, of a brighter green 

 than thofe of the former, and ftand upon fliort foot- 

 ftalks ; the flowers come out at the foot-ftalks of eve- 

 ryleaf; they are fingle toward the bottom of the 

 ftalk, but upward they are in clufters ; the empale- 

 ment of the flower is in five angles, each being ter- 

 minated by a briftly hair ; the flowers arc of a pale 

 fulphur colour, and the feeds have but one horn or 

 tooth. It flowers at the fame time ivith the former. 

 The third fort rifes with a flender ligneous ftalk about 

 two feet high, fending out many eredl branches, which 

 are garniflied with narrow fpcar-ftiaped leaves an inch 

 and a half long, and a third broad in the middle ; 

 they are indented on their edges, and end in acute 

 oints, having pretty long flender foot-ftalks. ^ The 

 owers come out fingly from the wings of the ftalks; 

 ■they are fmall, of a pale yellow colour, and appear 

 at the fame time with the former. 





The fourth fort has very flender ftalks, which fel- 

 dom rife much more than a foot high, fending out a 

 few flender branches, garniflied with fmall heart- 

 ftiaped leaves which are fawed on their edges, and 

 are a little hoary on their under fide, ftanding upon 

 pretty long foot-ftalks. The flowers are fmall, of a 

 pale yellowifli colour, and come out fingly from the 

 wings of the ftalk ; thefe are fucceeded by feeds hav- 

 ing two teeth. It flowers at the fame time with the 

 former. 



The fifth fort has a hairy ftalk covered with a dark 

 brown bark, and rifes three feet high, fending out 

 many branches from the fide, which are garniflied 



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with oval fpear-fliaped leaves ftanding upon lonff foof- 

 ftalks; they are more than two inches long, and one 

 and a quarter broad, ending in an obtufe point, and 

 are deeply fawed on their edges. The flowers come 

 out by pau-s at the foot-ftalk of each leaf, fitting clofe 

 to the ftalk ; they are larger than thofe of the former 



forts, and of a deeper yellow colour ', the feeds of this 

 are larger, and have three teeth* 



The fixth fort rifes with a ligneous hairy ftalk between 

 three and four feet high, fending out a few flender 

 branches toward the top. The leaves are a little 

 woolly, and fit clofe to the ftalk ; they are near two 

 inches long, and one broad near their bafe, being al- 

 moft heart-ftiaped ; they are veined, and fawed on 

 their edges. The flowers come out in clufters on the 

 fide of the branches, to which they fit very clofe ; 

 they have hairy empalements, cut into acute fegments 

 at the top ; they are fmall, of a pale yellow colour, 

 and appear at the fame time with the former, and the 

 feeds have two teeth. 



The feventh fort has a flender ligneous ftalk which 

 rifes more than two feet high, fending out feveral flen- 

 der branches garniftied with roundifti leaves havin^ 

 long foot-ftalks, and are a little hairv on their unde'r 

 fide. The flowers come out at the foot-ftalks of tlie 

 leaves, fometimes fingly, and at others there are two 

 or three upon flender foot-ftalks ; they are of a pale 



copper colour, and appear at the fame time with the 

 former. 



The eighth fort rifes with an herbaceous ftalk more 

 than three feet high, fending out feveral ereft 

 branches from the fides, which are garniflied with 

 heart-ftiaped leaves two inches and a half long, and 

 two broad ; they ard fawed on their edges, are of 

 a light green colour, foft to the touch, and ftand 

 upon very long foot-ftalks which are hairy. Thd 

 flowers ftand upon long foot-ftalks which come out 

 from the wings of the ftalk ; they are fmall, of a 

 fulphur colour, and appear at the fame time with 

 the former. 



The ninth fort has very flender ftiff ftalks, which are 

 covered with fine hairs, and rife a foot and a half high, 

 fending out a few fide branches, which are garniflied 

 with roundifli heart-fliaped leaves two inches long, 

 and one inch and three quarters broad at the bafe ; 

 they are thin, of a light green colour, crenated on 

 ; their edges, and ftand upon long, flender, hairy foot- 

 , ftalks.' • The flowers come out upon long foot-ftalks 



■ from the wings of the ftalks fingly-, their empalements 

 terminate with ten ftiff acute points or hairs j the flow- 

 ers are fmall and white, appearing at the fame time 

 with the former. r . \ ' " 



: The tenth fort rifes with an herbaceous prickly ftalk 

 near four feet high, fending out feveral branches, 

 which are garniflied with rough hairy leaver ftandino- 

 upon long foot-ftalks. Thefe are of different forms, 

 fome are divided into five obtufe lobes^ others into 

 three, fome are hollowed on the fides in Ihape of a 

 fiddle ; they arc indented on their edges, and ace of 

 a pale green colour. The flowers are collefted in 

 heads, which ftand upon very long hairy foot-fialks 

 arifing from the wings of the ftalks. Under each 

 ncad arc placed three obtufe fmall leaves, upon which 



■^ reft feven pale yellow flowers which are fmall, and are 

 almoft hid by their empalements j thefe are fucceeded 



■ by feeds having acute fpincs. This flowers at the fame 

 time as the former. . 



V 



The eleventh fort rifes with a ligneous ftalk three feet 

 high, which is covered with yellowifli hairs very clofely 

 garniflied with fpear-fliaped hairy leaves fitting clofe to 

 the ftalks ; they are two inches long, and one broad 

 in the middle, fawed on their edges and of a pale green 

 on their under fide. The flowers come out fingly 

 from the wings of the ftalk, ftanding upon fliort foot- 

 ftalks; they are fmall, white, and appear about the 

 fame time with the former. 



The twelfth fort rifes with very flender infirm ftalks 

 three feet high, covered with long white hairs, and 

 garniftied with foft, woolly, heart-ftiaped leaves, fit- 

 ting upon long, flender, hairy foot-ftglks. The 



12 K leavei 



