240 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



BB. Stigmas twice as many as the carpels. 

 Pavonia. — Epicalyx of 5-20 leaves. 

 AA. Fruit a capsule. Stamen tube 5, toothed at the apex. Stigmas 

 cushion-shaped. 

 Hibiscus.— Ovary 5-celled. Epicalyx of 5-many bracts, 



Malvastrum.— A shrub or herb with purple flowers (rose- 

 red or red and white), borne on short stalks in the axiles 



of the leaves, singly or in 

 racemes. The leaves and 

 stems are often sticky, softly 

 downy, or covered with 

 bristles. 



Sida. — A low-growing 

 shrubby plant with small 

 white or yellow flowers 

 (rarely purple). The flowers 

 open for a short time about 

 noon. The stigmas ripen at 

 the same time as the anthers. 

 The stigmas reach out among 

 the anthers and help them- 

 selves to pollen. Flies some- 

 times visit the flowers. 



Abutilon. — Shrubs or 

 herbs, erect or prostrate, with 

 soft velvety stems and leaves. 

 Pale yellow flowers an inch 

 or more across. They are 

 sometimes visited by birds. 

 Hibiscus. — Several 

 species of this genus are cultivated in the garden. H. rosa 

 sinensis has large brilliant scarlet flowers. H. calyci?mm 

 and H. hidwigii are tall shrubs with large yellow flowers and 

 dark purple centres. Some species are low herbs with smaller 

 flowers. 



The larger flowers are much frequented by sugar-birds, 

 which sip the honey on the wing. The fact that the birds do 

 not alight on the flowers may account for the fact that these 



Fig. 2^0. — Grezuta occidentalis. (After 

 " Botanical Magazine.") 



