45 



under forest conditions. They have been transplanted several 

 times, are situated quite in the open, and the soil is not good. 

 The localities in the British Isles where it would be most likely to 

 succeed are the south and west of England and perhaps the north 

 of Ireland. Although a mild climate is no doubt favourable to its 

 quick growth, it is not that alone that will make its cultivation a 

 success- It has experienced 32° Fahr. of frost at Kew without 

 injury and is perfectly hardy in the severe New England climate. 

 Abundant sunshine with a moist fertile soil are more important 

 desiderata, and where those are available more profitable crops 

 than this Catalpa can be secured. Certainly it will not be a 

 success — as some enquirers had been led to hope — on barren 

 uplands and places where ordinary crops could not be grown. 



X.-DIAGNOSES AFRICANAE : XIX. 



881. Hibiscus Allenii, Spraguc et Hutchinson [Malvaceae 

 Hibisceae] ; ab affini H. micranihn, Linn, f., foliis prof undo 

 trilobatis et seminibus pubescent ibus tantum nee villosis receclit. 



Herba erecta, 30-50 cm. alta, simplex vel ram is lateralibus 

 rectis angulo acuto divergentibus munita, caulibus et petiolis et 

 pedunculis pilis stellatis flavescentibus patule hirsutis. Gaul is 

 teres, basi 1*5-3 mm. diametro, internodiis 3-6 cm. longis. 

 Stipulae filiformes, 3-5 mm. longae, pilis simplicibus hirsutae. 

 Folia saltern 3-lobata, irregulariter serrata, lobis oblongis vel 

 oblongo-lanceolatis 2-5-5 cm. longis 0*8-2 cm. latis rarius (in 

 foliis basalibus ramorum) elliptico-oblongis 1-2 cm. longis 

 0-8-1*2 cm. latis, superiora et media profunde 3-lobata, inferiora 

 minus profunde 3-5-lobata, lobo intermedio interdum utrinque 

 lobulo circa medium orto munito, lamina utrinque strigosa supra 

 pilis simplicibus subtus pilis 3-4-radiatis, venis utrinque subius 

 nngis prominulis ; petioli 1-2*3 cm. longi. Flores in axillis 

 6olitarii, pedunculis 2*5-3 cm. longis circ. 5 mm. infra apicem 

 articulatis sub fructu usque ad 4 cm. longis. Bracteolae 8, 

 rarius 9, lineares, obtusae, 2*5-3*75 mm. longae, circ. 05 mm. 

 latae, extra et marginibus pilis biradiatis et simplicibus 

 hirsutae. Calyx apice extra et margine pilis simplicibus 

 ceterum extra pilis 2-radiatis hirsutus, intus glaber ; tubus 

 2 mm. longus ; lobi lanceolati, subacuti, 5-(V5 mm. longi, 

 1*75-2*5 mm. lati. Petala carminea, oblique elliptica, rotundata, 

 12 mm. longa, 6-6*5 mm. lata, basi 2 mm. tubo stamineo adnata, 

 intus glabra, extra parte eorum in alabastro visa stellato-pilosa. 

 Stamina 25 ; columna tota 11-12 mm. longa, staminum vertici Iloa 

 tres gerens, ultra verticillum superiorem 2 mm. producta, dentibus 

 5 triangularibus vix 0*5 mm. longis ; verticillus inferior 1 mm. 

 supra petala insertus, e staminibus 5 conipositus, falamentellis 

 simplicibus 1*5-2 mm. longis; verticilli medius et superior e 

 staminibus 10 compositi, filamentellis e basi bifurcatis quam us 

 verticilli inferioris brevioribus ; verticillus medius 3*o-4*o mm. 

 supra inferiorem, superior 2*5 mm. supra verticillum medium 

 situs. Ovarium globosum, 25 mm. diametro, minute dense 

 appresse albo-pubescens, loculis 3-4 ovulatis ; styh glabri pars 



