MALVACEAE 775 



ticulated, nearly distinct : petals deep pink or vermilion, 2.5-3 cm. long, oblong-obovate, 

 spreading : capsule shorter than the calyx, and closely invested by it : seeds puberulent. 

 In dry soil or rocky places, Texas and adjacent Mexico. Spring to fall. 



3. Hibiscus Syriacus L. A branching shrub or small tree 1-6 m. tall, with minutely 

 stellate-pubescent young foliage. Leaf-blades firm, oblong-ovate, elliptic or oval in out- 

 line, more or less deeply 3-lobed, 3-12 cm. long, coarsely crenate, cuneate at the base ; pet- 

 ioles much shorter than the blades : peduncles usually less than 1 cm. long : bractlets of 

 the involucels linear to linear-spatulate, 1-2 cm. long : calyx longer than the bractletsor 

 shorter ; lobes triangular-ovate, about as long as the tube : petals deep pink or white, with 

 a crimson blotch at the base, 4-7 cm. long, undulate: capsule oblong-ovoid, 2-2.5 cm. 

 long, pinched at the apex, stellate-pubescent, surpassing the calyx. 



In various situations, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Florida and Texas. Summer and fall. 

 Shrubby Althaea. Rose-of-Shakon. 



4. Hibiscus furcellatus Lam. A branching shrubby plant, with grayish finely 

 tomentose foliage. Leaf-blades orbicular-ovate to ovate or lanceolate, 5-15 cm. long, angu- 

 late or 3-5-lobed, or the upper ones hastate, denticulate, or crenate-serrate, paler beneath 

 than above, cordate at the base ; petioles longer than the blades or shorter above : pe- 

 duncles mostly shorter than the subtending petioles : bractlets of the involupel narrow, 

 about h as long as the calyx at maturity, dilated and forked at the apex, not bristly : calyx 

 becoming 2.5-3 cm. long; lobes lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, longer than the tube, 

 with stout lateral nerves and midrib and prominent connecting nerves : corolla 8-10 cm. 

 long, yellow : capsule nearly as long as the calyx, densely strigose with lustrous hairs. 



In sand, shores of the Indian River, Florida. Naturalized from the West Indies and South Amer- 

 ica. Throughout the year. 



5. Hibiscus aculeatus Walt. Perennial, herbaceous, the foliage very rough-pu- 

 bescent. Stems 1-2 m. tall, simple or sparingly branched : leaf-blades 4-12 cm. in 

 diameter, the lower ones angulate or 3-5-lobed, the upper ones 3-5-parted, the segments 

 linear to oblanceolate, coarsely toothed or incised ; petioles 'as long as the blades or shorter : 

 peduncles shorter than the subtending petioles : bractlets of the involucels 10-12, linear, 

 about 1.5 cm. long, forking, bristly: calyx surpassing the bractlets; lobes lanceolate, 

 acuminate, bristly, 3-nerved : petals 7-8 cm. long, yellow or cream-colored with a dark 

 purple blotch at the base : capsule conic-ovoid, 2-2.5 cm. long, acuminate. 



In sand, often near swamps. South Carolina to Florida and Louisiana. Summer. 



6. Hibiscus lasiocdrpus Cav. Perennial, with densely pubescent foliage. Stems 

 1-2 m. tall, tomentose, sometimes branched above : leaf-blades ovate, 5-14 cm. long, 

 acuminate, more or less distinctly serrate-dentate, sometimes angulately lobed, densely 

 strigose above with lustrous hairs, softly tomentose beneath, rounded or cordate at the 

 base ; petioles shorter than the blades : peduncles much shorter than the subtending 

 petiole : bractlets of the involucel 2-3 cm. long, linear-subulate, bristly : calyx about as 

 long as the bractlets or shorter ; tube campanulate ; lobes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, longer than the tube : petals 6-8 cm. long, pink with a purple or crimson blotch at the 

 base : capsule hirsute. 



In swamps, Illinois and Missouri to Georgia and Texas. Summer and fall. 



7. Hibiscus grandiflorus Michx. Perennial, with soft velvety-tomentose foliage. 

 Stems erect, 1-2 m. tall, solitary or several together, soon glabrous : leaf-blades 1-3 dm. in 

 diameter, mostly broader than long, hastately 3-lobed, bright green above, whitish beneath, 

 truncate or cordate at the base ; lobes triangular or triangular-ovate, acute or acuminate, 

 irregularly toothed ; petioles usually shorter than the blades : peduncles 4-8 cm. long : 

 bractlets of the involucels linear, 2-3 cm. long : calyx about twice as long as the bractlets ; 

 tube campanulate ; lobes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, as long as the tube or longer : petals 

 12-15 cm. long, pale pink with a reddish blotch at the base. 



In marshes, chiefly near the coast, Georgia to Florida and Mississippi. Spring to fall. 



8. Hibiscus Moscheutos L. Perennial, velvety tomentose, or some parts glabrate. 

 Stems 1-2 m. tall, often clustered : leaf-blades lanceolate to broadly ovate, 1-2 dm. long, 

 acuminate, dentate-serrate, rounded or subcordate at the base, some often angulately 3-5- 

 lobed, glabrous or nearly so above ; petioles shorter than the blades : peduncles usually 

 corymbosely disposed : bractlets of the involucel linear, 1.5-2 cm. long : calyx surpassing 

 the bractlets ; tube campanulate ; lobes triangular-ovate, acuminate, shorter than the tube : 

 petals pink with a crimson blotch at the base, 10-12 cm. long: capsule ovoid, 2.5 cm. 

 long, glabrous. 



In swamps, chiefly near the coast, Ontario to Florida and Texas. Summer and fall. Mallow 

 Rose. Swamp Rose-mallow. 



9. Hibiscus incanus Wendl. Perennial, velvety tomentose with pale hairs. Stems 

 solitary or clustered, 1-2 m. tall : leaf-blades broadly ovate to broadly lanceolate, 5-15 cm. 



