Hibiscus MALVACEAE-STERCULIACEAE Firmiana 



Stem not spiny: lvs. usually unlobed: capsule glabrous 2. H. moscheutos 



aa. Plants woody. 



b. Mature lvs. pubescent or tomentose. 



Calyx bracts narrowly oblong to linear: frtg. pedicels 5- 



10 cm. long, tomentose but not bristly 3. H. mutabilis 



Calyx bracts ovate: frtg. pedicels stout, 1.5-3 cm. long, 



brown-stellate-tomentose and pale-brown-bristly 4. H. paramutabilis 



bb. Mature lvs. glabrous or nearly so. 



Staminal column long-exserted from the fl.: lvs. coarsely 



serrate but not lobed 5. H. rosa-sinensis 



Staminal column not exserted: at least some of the lower 

 lvs. 3-lobed. 

 Calyx bracts lanceolate-oblong, exceeding the calyx: lvs. 



broad-cuneate-ovate 6. H. sinosyriacus 



Calyx bracts linear, about as long as the calyx: lvs. 



triangular-ovate or rhombic 7. H. syriacus 



1. Hibiscus cannabinus Linn. (B.M. 665). Erect herb, to 2 m.; fls. yellow or red, 

 VII. Introduced from Old World tropics; locally in Ku. Cultivated, fiber. 



2. Hibiscus moscheutos Linn. Garden Mallow (B.M. 665). Perennial herb, to 3 

 m.; fls. pink, VII; lvs. white-tomentose beneath. Introduced from eastern North 

 America; locally in Ku. Planted, ornamental. 



3. Hibiscus mutabilis Linn. Cotton Rose t^# (Mu Fu Yung; Woody Hibiscus) 

 (B.M. 666). Shrub or tree; fls. white to red, VIII-X; fr. IX-X. China; locally 

 in Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Planted, ornamental. 



4. Hibiscus paramutabilis Bailey (B.G. 1:109). Small tree; fls. lilac, VII; fr. VIII- 

 IX. Central China; locally in Che., Hun., Ki. Planted. 



5. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. Rose-of-China (B.M. 665). Shrub or tree, to 10 m.; 

 fls. red, VI- VII. Asia; locally in Ku. Planted, ornamental. 



6. Hibiscus sinosyriacus Bailey (B.G. 1:109). Shrub; fls. white and red, VII. Central 

 China; locally in Ki. Planted. 



7. Hibiscus syriacus Linn. Rose-op-Sharon 7^8 (Mu Chin; Fading-flower Wood) 

 (B.M. 666). Shrub or tree, to 4m.; fls. varicolored, VII-IX. Eastern Asia; locally 

 in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Planted, ornamental. Fig. 239. 



108. STERCULIACEAE Sterculia Family ffiWWl (Wu T'ung K'o) 

 Trees, shrubs or herbs with alternate simple (ours) or digitate stipulate lvs.: infl. 

 axillary or terminal, usually clustered: fls. regular; sepals more or less united; petals 

 5 (or none), stamens mostly numerous and united into a tube; anthers 2-cellcd; car- 

 pels 1-5: fr. various. 50 genera with 750 species, tropical; 12 genera and 15 species 

 in China. 



Key to the Genera 



Fls. in panicles; petals none: fr. a membranous follicle: trees 1. Firmiana 



Fls. in axillary clusters; petals present: fr. a loculicidally fi-valved 



capsule: herbs 2. Meloch ia 



1. Firmiana Marsigli 17HRK (Wu T'ung Shu) 

 Deciduous trees with palmately lobed lvs.: infl. a terminal panicle: fls. unisexual, 

 with androgynophore; sepals petaloid; petals wanting; carpels distinct at the base, 



252 



