NOTES ON THESPESIA. 51 



nostram appropinquebant, termetes liujus arboris propinantes, iis- 

 demque primitias nobis adferentes Qovse per plagas amoenissimas 

 sceptra florida gerentis. Prima enim baec erat pbmta insularum 

 Oceaui Pacifici quae oculis nostris perlustrare licuit." 



The species described above is Thespeda populnea, founded by 

 Solauder on Hibiscus populneus L. (Mcdvctviscus popubieus Gaertn.) ; 

 he cites the coloured drawing by Sidney Parkinson in 1769, made 

 from a plant gathered at Otaheite during Cooke's first voyage. 



Tbe characters of Thespesia are so well known that it seems 

 unnecessary to recapitulate them here. Considerable difference of 

 opinion exists on tbe limitation of the genus. The type (7\ populnea) 

 has a scarcely dehiscent capsule, whereas in T. Lampas Dalz. the 

 capsule is loculicidally 5- or 4-valved. I have followed Bentham & 

 Hooker in the (lenera Plantarum in retaining this latter plant and 

 its allies in Thespesia, although some authorities, not without reason, 

 consider these species better placed under Hibiscus. I append an 

 enumeration of the species, delimiting the genus in the wider sense. 



A. Bracts of the involucre obsolete, or 5, oblong-lanceolate, 

 deciduous. 



1. T. POPULNEA Solaud. ex Correa in Ann. JMus. ix. 290, t. 25, 

 fig. 1 (1807) ; DC. Prod. i. 456 (1824) ; Masters in Fl. Brit. India, 

 i. 345 (1875) ; Beddome, Fl. Sylv. t. 63 (1869-73). Hibi.scns popul- 

 neus L. Sp. PI. 694 (1753) ; Cav. Diss. iii. 152, tab. 56, fig. 1 (1787) ; 

 Koxb. Hort. Benij. 51 (1814). H. hacciferus Forst. Prod. 48 (1786) ; 

 H. populifolius Salisb. Prod. 383 (1796). 



Hab. A widely spread small tree of tropical shores, occurring 

 in Tropical Asia ! Pacific Islands ! Philippines ! Africa ! Mada- 

 gascar ! Australia (North, and N. S. Wales), West Indies, and main- 

 land of Central America, possibly naturalized in two latter localities. 



(3. GUADALUPENsis DC. Prod. i. 456 (1824). 



Hab. Guadalupe, perhaps cultivated. 



y. AcuTiLOBA, var. nov. Folia parva, acute lobata. 



Hab. Africa, Delagoa Bay, Mrs. Mnnteiro ! 



"A shrub with yellow flowers." Petals IJ in. long. Leaves 

 1^ in. long, li- in. wide, somewhat triangular, base subcordate. 

 Peduncles longer than petioles. 



Dr. Pierre, in his Flora of Cochin China (Fasc. xi. sub t. 173), 

 describes the three following forms : — 



^. Rheedii Pierre, /. c. Rheede, Hort. Malah. i. t. 29. Malva- 

 viscus populneus Gaertn. Friu;t. ii. 253, t. 135 (1791). Thespesia 

 populnea Wight, Ic. t. 8 (1840). Peduncle shorter or nearly same 

 length as petiole. Fruit nearly spherical. Endocarp inseparable 

 from mesocarp. 



Hab. Very common in India. Herb. Pierre, No. 3727. 



£. POPULNEOiDES Pierre, I.e. Hibiscus pnpulneoides'Roxh. Fl. hid. 

 iii. 191 (1832). Nerves glandular at the back of the limb. Endo- 

 carp separable from mesocarp. Seeds with very short hairs. 



Hab. Bengal; Menam, Phu-Quoc, Pulo Condor. Herb. Pierre, 

 No. 4866. 



£ 2 



