Pentapetes. monadelphia dodecandria. 157 



1. D. ovula. Cavav. Diss. iii. p. \'27. t. A\.f. 2. 



Leaves cortlate-obloii"-, obfusely gland-serrate, from three 

 to five-ncrvcd, downy, particularly underneath. Corymbs 

 terminal, dichotomout>!, with the extreme ramifications um- 

 belliferous. Found indigenous on the Mauritius by Colo- 

 nel Hardwicke, in flower in Jcuie and July. All the young- 

 parts densely clothed with minute, stellate, ferruginous 

 pubescence. 



2. D. tUia-foUa. Willd. iii. 725. 



Shrubby. Leaves from five-angled, an<l sub rotund, to 

 cordate, all are serrate. Stipules subulate. C'o»j/m6s axillary, 

 solitary, bifid. 



A very handsome, uncommonly scabrous shrub, a native of 

 the Mauritius, from thence sent to the Botanic garden w here 

 it throws out most copiously its numerous corymbs of pret- 

 ty, large, pale, rosy flowers, about the beginning of the cool 

 season. While the plants are young, until the floriferous 

 branchlets appear, the leaves are five-angled; afterwards 

 they become simply cordate. 



PENTAPETES. Schreh. gen. N. 1122. 

 Califx double ; the exterior one three-leaved, caducous ; 

 the interior one five-parted. Corol five-petalled. Stamens 

 twenty, of which five are longer and sterile. Capsule five- 

 celled, many-seeded ; partition contrary. 



P. phoenicea. Willd. iii. 727. 



Leaves hastate-lanceolate, crenate-serrate. 



R?/kt?/kff, Bh?/ndh?<ka, Sanscrit names. 



Ben(j. Kat-Lnla, Doopahuria. 



Naga-pu, Rheed. Mai. x. t. 56, is evidently this ptant^ 

 while Sjasmin, vol. x.t.\, is Hibiscus phoeniceus» 



This elegant plant is annual, a native of wet rice-fields» 

 Flowering time, the rainy season. 



