4" 

 i 



German East Africa. Umb.i Valley, C. S. Smith; Tanga, 



Heinsen, 140. 



The description of the staminal tube was taken from a fully 

 developed flower (Hildebrandt, 1926), and represents the normal 

 condition. Occasionally a few (3 in two instances) additional 

 solitary stamens are found below the lowest normal whorl ; or 



may 



) 



The two lowest whorls may consist of solitary stamens instead 

 of pairs (Lort-Phillips) ; or they may be represented by a single 

 solitary stamen (James and Thrupp), the number of stamens 

 being thus reduced to 31. 



i 



883. Hibiscus shirensis, Spray ne rt Hutchinson [Malvaceae 

 Hibisceae] ; ab. H. yossypino, Thunb., quocum confusus, indu- 

 mento, floribus minoribus, styli ramis glabris facillime distinguitur. 



Frutex erectus, 1-2 m. altus, caule terete inferne circ. 4 mm. 

 diametro pilis pluriradiatis magnis brunneis sparse, et aliis parvis 

 albidis dense, aspere pnbescente, superne tomentellosubcorymbose 

 ramoso, ramulis sub angulo acuto ortis ascendentibus, internodiis 

 2-5-10 cm. longis. Stipulate filiformes, 5-8 mm. longae. Folia 

 caulis ambitu deltoideo-ovata, leviter trilobata, apice acuta, basi 

 subcordata, 6-8 cm. longa, 4-6 cm. lata, crenata, basi sub-7-nervia, 

 supra breviterstellato-pubescentia, subtus stellato-tomentella, venis 

 supra inconspicuis subtus prominentibus ; folia ramulorum ovata, 

 2-3 # 3 cm. longa, 1*5-3 cm. lata, subacute crenata, majora eorum 

 interdum leviter trilobata ; petioli 3-6 cm. longi, stellato-pubes- 

 centes, juniores tomentelli. Inflorescentia laxe paniculata, ramulis 

 circ. 3-floris, inferioribus solitariis 10-15 cm. longis, superioribus 

 ex eadem axilla ac pedunculo unifloro jam fructifero ortis. 

 Pedanculi florum solitarium tandem 2*5-5*8 cm. longi, 4-13 mm. 

 infra apicem articulati. Bracteolae 7, rarius 6 vel 8, lineari- 

 lanceolatae, ^ subacutae, 4-6 mm. longae, 1-1 "25 mm. latae, 

 utrinque pilis albidis 2-pauci-radiatis antrorsis tomentellae, extra 

 pilis paucis majoribus brunneis 2-radiatis inferne adject is. Calyx 

 extra pilis albidis stellato-tomentellus et aliis majoribus brunneis 

 2-4 radiatis hirsutus ; tubus 1 -5-1- 75 mm. longns ; lobi lanceolati, 

 acuti vel subacuti, 7-9 mm. longi, 2-3 mm. lati, intus superne 

 breviter appresse albo-pubescens vel tomentellus, superne 3-nervius, 

 inferne 5-nervius. Petala carminea, obovato-oblonga, 15-2 cm. 

 longa, 8-12 mm. lata, basi 2-2'5 mm. tubo stamineo adnata. 

 Stamina 50-SO, plerumque geminata, uno alterove hinc inde 

 solitario, inferiora paullo supra petala inserta, filamentellis3-4 mm. 

 longis ; columna tota circ. 1 cm. longa, ultra filamentella suprema 

 1-1*5 mm. producta, dentibus oblongis vel subtriangularibus circ. 

 0-5 mm. longis. Ovarium globosum, 3 mm. diametro, minute 

 albo-pubescens, loculis 6-8-ovulatis ; styli glabri pars communis 

 5-6*5^ mm. longa, ramis 4-6 mm. longis, stigmati bus capiratis dense 

 penicillatis. Gapsula circ. 1 cm. longa, sparse puberula. Semina 

 dense villosa, villis circ. 5 mm. longis. — Hibiscus gossypinus, 

 Mast, in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Af r. vol. i. p. 205, partim, non Thunb. 



Nyasaland. Manganja Hills ; entrance of Bangwe Pass, 900 m., 

 Meller. Shire Highlands, Buchanan, 94 : banks of Likangala 

 liiver, Buchanan, 385. Zomba, Purees, 140. 



