C 158 ] 



Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis. China-Rose 



Hibiscus. 

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C7tf/} ^z;?fl 7 Order. 



MONADELPHIA PoLYANDRIA. 



Generic Character. 



Calyx duplex, exterior polyphyllus. G?/>/;z 5-IocuIaris, 

 polyfperma. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 

 HIBISCUS Rofa Sinenfis foliis ovatis acuminatis ferratis, caule 

 arboreo. Linn. Syfi. Vegctab. ed. 14. Mttrr. p 

 629. Ait. Hort. Kezv. p. 629. 

 ALCEA javanica arborefcens, flore plcno rubicundo. Breyn, 



cent. 121. /. 56. 

 HIBISCUS javanica. Mill. Diet. ed. 6. 4/0. by whom cul- 

 tivated in 1731. 



Rumphius in his Herbarium Amboinenfe gives an excellent 

 account of this beautiful native of the Eaft-lndies, accom- 

 panied by a reprefentation of it with double flowers, in which 

 itate it is more particularly cultivated in all the gardens in 

 India as well as China \ he informs us that it grows to the 

 lull faze of our hazel, and that it varies with white flowers. 



I he inhabitants of India, he obferves, are extremely par- 

 tial to whatever is red, they confider it as a colour which tends 

 to exhilarate ; and hence they not only cultivate this plant 

 miiverfally in their gardens, but ufe its flower, on all occafions 

 ot felhvity, and even in their fepulchral rites : he mentions 

 alio an (Economical purpofe to which the flowers are aopiied, 

 little con fiftent with their elegance and beauty, that of blacking 

 ihoes whence their name of Rofie calceolaria ■ the fliocs, after 

 the colour is imparted to them, are rubbed wrth the hand, to 

 give them a glols, and which thereby receives a blueifti tinge, 

 to difcharge which they have recourie to lemon juice. 



With us it is kept in the ftove, where it thrives and flowers 

 readily during moft of the Cummer ; the fingle bloffoms laft 

 but a mort time, yet their fuperiority arifing from the curious 

 and beautiful ftruaure of the interior parts of the flower, com- 

 penlates for the fhortnefs of their duration. 



It is ufually increafed by cuttings. 



