156 Malvacecu. {Hibiscus. 



10. *H. Abelmoschus,'^ L. Sp. PI. 696 (1753). K.apu- 

 kinissa, ^'. 



Herm. Mus. 40. Burm. Thes. 134. Fl. Zeyl. n. 261. Moon Cat. 51. 

 Abelmoschus vioschatus., Moench., Thw. Enum. 27. C. P. 726. 

 Fl. B. Ind. i. 342. Wight, Ic. t. 399. 



A tall annual, slightly branched, stems hispid with long 

 deflexed hair ; 1. variable, ovate-cordate, or more usually pal- 

 matcly cut into 3-5 acute lobes, dentate-serrate, hairy on both 

 sides, petiole usually longer than 1., with long deflexed hairs, 

 stip. small, subulate ; fl. large, 3-4 in., solitar}', often appearing 

 to be terminal, ped. stout, curved, much thickened beneath 

 the fl., bracteoles 8, distinct, linear, hispid, much shorter than 

 cal. ; sep. completely connate save at their points into a tube 

 which splits down one side; capsule 2^-3 in., ovate-ovoid, 

 acute, hispid ; seeds kidney-shaped, striate. 



Moist low country ; rather rare, and doubtfully native. Colombo 

 (Moon); Kandy; Badulla ; Reigam Koralc. Fl. September; bright 

 yellow, with a purple centre. 



Found wild or cultivated in most Tropical countries. 



The seeds have a very strong odour of musk, but I do not know that 

 they are used in Sinhalese medicine, though they have a reputation in 

 Persia and Arabia. 



H. esculetiius, L. is commonly grown as a vegetable, and met with 

 half wild in native gardens. Its capsules are the Vandakkay, T. so much 

 used in Ceylon cookery. 



11. H. ang-ulosus, Mast, in Fl. B. Ind. i. 341 (1874). ILapu- 

 kinissa, S. 



Abelmoschus am^ulosus, Thw. Enum. 26. 



Fl. B. Ind. i. 34'!. Wight, Ic. t. 951. 



Occurs under 2 varieties : — 



Var. a. g-randiflorus, Thw. Enum. 26. C.P. 2567. [Plate XVH.] 



A very large perennial herb ; stem more or less hispid 

 with long hair, or nearly glabrous, 1. 4-8 in., roundish, cordate 

 at base, deeply palmately cut into 3-5 acute segm., crenate- 

 serrate, hairy or glabrous, petioles of lower 1. very long, of 

 upper 1, shorter, 1-3 in. ; fl. very large, 4-5 in., forming long 

 erect racemes, the upper part being without leaves but with 

 short sessile ovate bracts, ped. 1-^-3 in., very hispid with 

 spreading rigid hairs, bracteoles 4, large, i-i^ in., ovate, 

 acute, connate throughout and completely enclosing the 

 flower-bud, splitting down one or more sides, somewhat hispid 

 outside, silky within, persistent with fruit; cal. i^ in., very 

 thin, membranous, toothed at top, splitting down one side, 

 veinless, pubescent, caducous; pet. yellow; capsule i| in., 



* Abelmoschus is a Latinisation of the Arabic name ' Habb-el-misk,' 

 musk-seed. 



