BY THE REV. J. E. TENISON-WOODS, F.G.S., (tc. 747 



28. Urena lobata, L. A weed so widely spread throughout 

 the East and as far as tropical Australia, that its pretty piuk 

 flowers form a considerable portion of the undergrowth of every 

 jungle. Very variable in the shape of its leaves. It is called 

 Latiang in Malay. 



29. Hibiscus surattensis, L. Assam-tusur, Malay ; Anto- 

 langan, Tagalo. A veiy pi'ickly, wide-spread, straggling weed, 

 which is px'obably indigenous ; with yellow flowers and a dark 

 purple centre. Leaves eaten for their pleasantly acid taste. 



30. Hibiscus tiliaceus, L. A common small sea-coast tree of 

 most tropical countries including Australia, particularly abundant 

 in the islands of the Pacific. Flowers large and showy, yellow, 

 with a dark crimson centre. In the Philippines the flowers are 

 much esteemed for their medicinal virtues. At Amboyna it is 

 called Haru. 



31. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, L. A plant in cultivation in almost 

 every garden throughout the Philippines. Probably this is the species 

 to which the Tagalo name Antolangan is given, but it is also called 

 Mapola. The flowers are used for every purpose of adornment, to 

 polish leathei", and also, strange to say, by the women to blacken 

 their hair and eyebrows. The Chinese call it Hung fa, using it on 

 all festive occasions, particularly at funerals, where it is made into 

 garlands to adorn the feast. The Japanese name is Bussonge. 



32. Hibiscus esculentus, L. Gumamela in Tagalo. I am 

 doubtful as to the habitat of this species, which is used so exten- 

 sively in all the East, where it goes by the name of Gombo or 

 Okro, but is not common as a vegetable in the Philippines. The 

 young fruits of this annual are the most delicious of tropical 

 vegetables, and their mucilage forms a useful thickening for soups. 

 Where it originally came from has been disputed. It was claimed 

 as belonging to the Eastern flora, but there are no ancient names 

 for it, and no indication of an ancient cultivation in Asia. De 

 Candolle, on the authority of Fliickiger and Hanbury, quotes from 

 an Arabic work showing that it was cultivated under the name of 

 Gombo by the Egyptians in 1216. It came probably from more 

 southerly African regions. 



