74 MALLOW FAMILY. 



14. HIBISCUS, ROSE-MALLOW. (Ancient name, of obscure origin.) 

 Plowers showy, usually large, in summer and autumn. 



* Tall shrubs or even trees, exotics. 



H. Syriacus, Tree H. or Shrubby Alth^a, of gardens and grounds, 

 common, native of the Levant : nearly smooth, with wedge-ovate and 3-lobed 

 leaves, and short-peduncled flowers in their axils, in autumn, about 3' broad, 

 purple, rose-color, white, &c., often double. 



H. Bosa-Sinensis. China H. or Rose of China. Cult, in conserva- 

 tories, from East Indies (where the splendid corollas, which stain black, are used 

 to black shoes) : very smooth, with bright green ovate and pointed somewhat 

 toothed leaves, and very showy flowers on slender peduncles, 4' or 5' broad, 

 scarlet-red (rarely rose-purple or even white), often double. 



* * Herbs, with persistent and regular 5-lobed calyx, and a short pod. 

 -1- Wild species, but sometimes cultivated, tall and large. IJ. 



H. eoccineus, Great Red H. or Rose-Mallow. Marshes from Caro- 

 lina S. ; very smooth, 4° - 7° high, with leaves 5-parted or deeply cleft into 

 long lanceolate and taper-pointed divisions, and bright-red corolla 6' -11' broad, 

 the petals narrowed below. 



BE. militaris, Halberd-leaved R. Low grounds from Pennsylvania 

 and Illinois S. ; smooth, 3° - 4° high, with ovate or heart-shaped toothed or 

 3-lobed leaves, some of them halberd-shaped, and slender-peduncled flowers, 

 with inflated calyx, and flesh-colored corolla 4' - 5' bi-oad. 



H. Moseheutos, Swamp R. Common in brackish marshes and up the 

 larger rivers ; 3° - 7° high, soft-downy ; the ovate pointed and often 3-lobed 

 leaves hoary beneath, generally smooth above ; peduncles slender ; corolla 4' - 6' 

 broad, pale rose or white, with or without a darker centre ; pod smooth. 



H. grandifl6rus, Large-fl. R. Swamps, from Illinois and Carolina S. ; 

 like the last, but leaves soft-downy both sides, and pod velvety-hairy. 



H. aculeatUS, Prickly or Rough R. Swamps only S. ; rough with 

 stiff bristles and bristly points, 2° - 6° high ; leaves 3 - 5-cleft and the divisions 

 mostly toothed ; flowers short-peduncled ; leaves of the involucre often forked ; 

 corolla yellow with a purple centre, 4' broad ; pod bristly. 



■*- -H- Exotic low species, in gardens or cultivated grounds. ® 



H. Tridnum, Bladder Ketmia or Flower-of-an-hour. Rather 



hairy, l°-2° high, with the leaves toothed, or the upper 3-parted into lanceolate 

 lobes, the middle lobe much longest ; calyx inflated and bladdery ; corolla about 

 2' broad, sulphur-yellow with a blackish eye, open only in midday sunshine. 

 * * * Herbs, with calyx splitting down one side, and generally falling off at once, 

 and with long or narrow pyramidal or angled pod : natives of East Indies. 



H. esculentus, Okra or Gumbo. Nearly smooth, with rounded heart- 

 shaped .'j-lobed toothed leaves, greenish-yellow flowers on slender peduncle (invo- 

 lucre fulling early), and narrow pods 3' or 4' long, which are very mucilaginous, 

 and when green cooked and eaten, or used to thicken soups : cult. S. ® 



H. Manihot. Smoothish, with leaves 5 - 7-pnrted into long narrow divis- 

 ions ; the large and showy corolla pale yellow with a dai'k eye ; the leaves of 

 the involucre hairy and soon falling off : introduced or cult. S. W. 2/ 



15. GOSSYPIUM, COTTON. (Name given by Pliny, from the Arabic.) 

 Plants now dirtused over warm countries, most valuable for the wool on the 

 seeds : the species much mixed up. 



G. herb^eeum, Common Cotton. Cult. S. Leaves with 5 short and 

 roundish li>l)es ; jictals ])ale yellow or turning rose-color, puq)le at base. 



G. Barbadense, Harbadoes oh Sea-Island C. Cult, on the coast S. 

 Inclining to he shrnhby at base ; branches black-dotted ; leaves with 5 longer 

 lance-ovate and tajjer-pointed lobes ; leaves of the involucre with very long and 

 slender teeth ; ))etals yellowish or whitish with purple base. 



G. arbbreum, Tree C. Cult. S., only for curiosity, has 5-7 nearly 

 lanceolate and taper-])ointed lobes to the leaves, leaves of involucre slightly 

 toothed, and a purple corolla with a darker centre. 



