MALVACEAE. 273 



above, 5-eleft, the stigmas broad. Capsule loeulieidally 5-eelled, many-seeded, 

 the cells vertically partitioned by a dissepiment which splits at dehiscence into 

 two membranes. [Name said to be Malabaric] A few species of tropical 

 regions, the following typical. 



1. Pariti tiliaceum (L.) St. Hil. Fl. Bras. Merid. 1: 256. 1827. 



Hibiscus tiUaceus L. Sp. PI. 69-4. 1753. 



A tree, sometimes 18 m. high, the young foliage velvety-tomentose. Leaves 

 long-petioled, the blades 7-20 cm. broad, nearly orbicular, cordate at base, 

 abruptly acuminate at apex, shallowly dentate or subentire, the venation promi- 

 nent beneath; involucre 10-cleft, about 12 mm. long; petals yellow, obovate, 

 5-6 cm. long; calyx about 2 cm. long; capsule ovoid, tomentose, 15-18 mm. 

 long; seeds glabrous or minutely downy. 



Coastal thickets, Abaco, Andros, New Providence, Cat Island, Pine Cay (Caicos) : 

 Bermuda ; Florida ; throughout the West Indies and tropical continental America ; 

 Old World tropics. Mahoe. Catesby, 2 : pi. 90. 



13. THESPESIA Soland.; Correa, Ann. Mus. Paris 9: 290. 1807. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, entire or merely angulately lobed, 

 commonly ample, usually cordate, petioled. Flowers perfect, showy. Involucel 

 of 3-5 narrow deciduous bractlets. Calyx truncate or nearly so. Petals 5. 

 Ovary sessile, 5-eelled; styles 5, united or rarely distinct; stigmas decurrent 

 on the styles. Ovules few in each cavity. Capsule firm, woody-leathery, 5- 

 celled, indehiseent. Seeds glabrous or pubescent. [Greek, marvellous.] About 

 8 tropical species, the following typical. 



1. Thespesia populnea (L.) Soland.; Correa, Ann. Mus. Paris 9: 290. 1S07. 



Hibiscus populneus L. Sp. PI. 694. 1753. 



A tree, sometimes 7 m. high, with a trunk up to 2 dm. in diameter, usually 

 smaller, often a shrub, the stout twigs scurfy when young. Leaves firm in 

 texture, slightly fleshy, ovate-orbicular, 5-12 em. long, acuminate at the apex, 

 cordate at the base, undulate-margined; petioles nearly as long as the blades; 

 peduncles shorter than the petioles; calyx subhemispheric, nearly truncate; 

 petals 4-7 cm. long, yellow with a purple base, changing to purple ; fruit de- 

 pressed-globose, leathery, 3-4.5 cm. in diameter, 1.5-2 cm. high; seeds pubes- 

 cent. 



Borders of marshes, and in sandy scrub-lands, New Providence and Grand Turk : 

 Florida : the West Indies and tropical continental America ; Old World tropics. 

 Sea-side Mahoe. Cork-tree. Spanish Cork. 



14. GOSSYPIUM L. Sp. PI. 693. 1753. 



Herbs, shrubs or small trees, with alternate petioled, usually lobed leaves, 

 and large, mostly solitary, peduncled, yellow or white to purple flowers sub- 

 tended by 3 broad, often cordate, incised bracts. Calyx truncate or 5-lobed. 

 Stamen-column usually naked below. Ovary 5-eelled ; ovules numerous in each 

 cavity; style club-shaped, 5-grooved; stigmas 5. Capsule coriaceous, loeuli- 

 eidally 5-valved. Seeds usually densely covered with long white hairs (cotton) ; 

 endosperm thin or none; cotyledons plicate. [Latin for cotton, perhaps of 

 Arabic origin.] About 40 species, of tropical distribution. Type species: 

 Gossypium arboreum L. 



