258 XXIII. MALVACE^. [HlhisCilS. 



Herbaceous or shrubby plants. 



Tall erect herb ; flowers large ; calyx spathaceous, 



deciduous (OH. Abelmoschus 



Scandent, thorny shrubby plant; flowers 2 in. 

 wide; calyx persistent; epicalyx lobes 



distinct (2) H. surattensis 



Trees with large entire leaves ovate cordate. 

 Bracteoles as long as calyx. 



Leaves hairy, tomentose beneath; stalks 



rough, hairy . . . . . (3) H. macrophyllus 



Bracteoles cup shorter than calyx. 



Leaves glabrous above, pubescent beneath . (4) H tiliaceus 

 Leaves glabrous, scabrid . . . . (5) H. floCCOSUS 



(i) H. Abelmoschus Linn. Sp. PI. 980; King, I.e. 44. 



Erect bristly herb 3 to 5 ft. tall. Leaves 3- to 5-lobed, lobes 

 oblong to linear serrate acute, 3 to 5 in. long; petioles longer. 

 Flowers 3 in. across, yellow with maroon crimson eye. Epicalyx- 

 lobes 8 to 12 linear, 75 in. long. Capsule lanceolate acute, hairy, 

 2 in. long. Seeds reniform musky. Hah. A weed usually appearing 

 sporadically in cultivated ground. Singapore, casual; Malacca 

 (Griffith). Perak, Telok Anson (Kunstler). Distrib. Tropics. 

 Native names : Kapas Hantu ; Kapas hutan ; the Musk-seed. 



(2) H. surattensis Linn. Sp. PL 979; King, I.e. 45. 

 Scrambling spiny shrub. Leaves 3- to 5-lobed, serrate sparsely 



pilose, i'5 to 3 in. across; petioles longer. Flowers 2 to 2-5 in. 

 wide, yellow, centre purple. Bracts of epicalyx 10 to 12 linear, 

 tip spathulate. Capsule membranous. Carpels ovate with long 

 acute point, i in. long. Hab. In hedges near civilization, but 

 probably wild in the northern parts ; Singapore, Tanglin. Malacca. 

 Perak, Teluk Anson (Kunstler). Tringganu (Yapp). Setul. Kelan- 

 tan, hedges near Kota Bharu. Native name : Asam Susor. 



(3) H. macrophyllus Roxb. Hort. Beng. 51 ; Masters, in Hook, 

 fil. F.B.L i. 387; Wall. PL As. Rar. i. 44, t. 51. 



A big tree 60 to 80 ft. tall. All parts covered with soft tomentum, 

 the young branches, petioles, pedicels, bracteole and calyx bearing 

 tufts of long yellow hairs. Leaves cordate-orbicular, apex abruptly 

 acuminate, edges entire, 7- to 9-nerved palmately, 7 to 12 in. long 

 and as wide ; petioles 7 to 12 in. long. Flowers in terminal cymes ; 

 pedicels i to 2 in. long. Epicalyx lobes long, linear-lanceolate 

 half as long as calyx. Sepals lanceolate, keeled i in. long. Corolla 

 4 in. across, yellow with a maroon central spot, withering purplish. 

 Fruit hairy, shorter than the calyx. Seeds reniform, edges densely 

 long red-hairy. Hab. In woods and borders of forests. Common. 

 Malacca, Bukit Panchur; Pahang by the Pahang and Tahan 

 rivers. Negri Sembilan, Kwala Pedas. Selangor, Sungei Buloh 

 (Foxworthy). Province Wellesley, Tasek Gelugur. Perak, Ulu 

 Kerling (Kunstler). Distrib. Siam, Cochin-China. Native name: 

 Tutok. Use : A good fibre from the bast used for ropes. 



In the Malay Peninsula form the epicalyx is shorter and the sepals broader, 

 and both less hairy than in the Indian one. 



