Tas. 4401. 
HIBISCUS rerox. 
Stinging Hibiscus. 
Nat. Ord. Matvacez#.—Monapetputa PoLyanpnta. 
Gen. Char. Vide supra, Tan. 4329. 
tecnica 
Hrsiscus Jerox; subarboreus superne subramosus aculeolatus, foliis petiolatis 
amplis nitidis orbiculari-cordatis 5~7-lobatis, subtus preecipue villosis, lobis 
acutis inciso-spinuloso-dentatis, stipulis cordato-acuminatis herbaceis ap- 
pressis, pedunculis axillarihus geminatis unifloris, involucri patentis foliolis 
lanceolatis sub- 10, calyce elongato tubuloso pentagono hispidissimo apice 
5-lobo demum fructifero inflato, corolle (lutee) petalis spathulatis spira- 
liter tortis, stigmate exserto magno 5-lobo. __ 
One of the most distinct of the many forms of /idiseus and 
remarkable for the copious tuberculated aculei, often tipped with 
red. It seems to have escaped the observation of every traveller 
till Mr. Purdie met with it near Iratcho in New Grenada, and 
sent home specimens and seeds. The whole plant, he observed, 
is “full of irritating spines.” In four years time the plant has 
with us attained a height of many feet, clothed with such copious, 
tuberculated, rigid, short prickles as to give the appearance 
rather of some virulent nettle than an emollient Hidiseus. It is 
_ treated as a stove plant, and flowered in May, 1848. 
Descr. An upright growing, arborescent s/rwé, leafy, chiefly 
at the summit, and there slightly branched: the ranches stout, 
soft and succulent, often deeply tinged with red-purple, and these 
and every part of the leaves, peduncles, involucre, and calyx, 
clothed more or Jess with hairs and aculei, the latter seated on a 
tubercle and not unfrequently tipped with red. Leaves on rather 
long, stout petioles, ample, orbiculari-cordate, shining, five- to seven- 
lobed, the lobes sharp and grossly toothed, the teeth spinulose. 
Stipules rather large, herbaceous, cordate, acuminate, appressed. 
Peduncles geminate, shorter than the petiole, single-flowered. 
Involucre of ten spreading, lanceolate, acuminate leaflets. Calyx 
two inches long, reddish, pentagonal, tubular, with five appressed 
teeth or lobes, enlarging with the fruit and becoming inflated. 
_ OCTOBER Ist, 1848. 
