774 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL, HERBARIUM. 



Leaves densely stellate-tomentose beneath with crowded interlaced hairs. 



Corolla 1.5 cm. long 8. M. palmeri. 



Corolla 2.5 cm. long or larger. 



Petals spreading above 9. M. acerifolius. 



Petals erect. 



Pubescence of the lower surface of the leaves and of the bractlets 



wholly of minute hairs 10. M. oaxacanus. 



Pubescence of the leaves and bractlets partly of coarse spreading hairs. 

 Leaves minutely stellate-pubescent beneath upon the veins. 



5. M. drummondii. 

 Leaves coarsely stellate-pilose beneath along the veins. 



11. M, arboreus. 



1. Malvaviscus candidus DC. Prodr. 1: 445. 1824. 

 Malvaviscus pringlei Baker f. Amer. Journ. Sci. 50: 175. 1895. 

 Coahuila, Queretaro, Jalisco, and Michoacdn. 



Shrub or small tree, 2 to 6 meters high ; leaves 3 or 5-lobate, 8 to 20 cm. long, 

 cordate at base, the lobes irregularly dentate or crenate, stellate-pubescent; 

 bractlets linear, equaling or shorter than the calyx ; petals white. " Lirio " 

 (Coahuila). 



The Coahuila specimens were taken from a cultivated plant, and the shrub 

 is cultivated elsewhere in Mexico. Palmer reports that a decoction of the 

 flowers and peach leaves is a local remedy for deafness, and that the flowers 

 are steeped in mescal to prepare a drink for coughs and colds, 



2. Malvaviscus penduliflorus DC. Prodr. 1: 445. 1824. 

 Malvaviscus lanceolatus Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 5: 175. 1899. 

 Michoacan to Chiapas. 



Shrub, 1.5 to 4 meters high, nearly or quite glabrous throughout ; leaves 

 slender-petiolate or the \ipper nearly sessile, lanceolate to ovate-oblong, 3-nerved, 

 rounded or cordate at base, acuminate, sinuate-serrate ; petals red. " MonaciUo 

 Colorado" ( Oaxaca, iJcfco). 



3. Malvaviscus conzattii Greenm. Field Mus. Bot. 2: 333. 1912. 

 Sinaloa to Chiapas and Veracruz ; type from Oaxaca. Guatemala. 



Shrub ; leaves lanceolate to broadly ovate, 5 to 15 cm. long, acute or acumi- 

 nate, obtuse to subcordate at base, sinuate-serrate, usually not lobate; petals 

 red. 



4. Malvaviscus rivularis T. S. Brandeg. Zoe 5: 211. 1905. 

 Known only from the type locality, Cofradia, Sinaloa. 



Leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 5 to 9 cm. long, acuminate, serrate- 

 dentate, often shallowly trilobate, the pubescence beneath chiefly of simple 

 hairs ; bractlets linear ; corolla red, about 3 cm. long. " Media noche." 



5. Malvaviscus drummondii Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1 : 230. 1838. 

 Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosf, and Yucatan. Texas. 



Shrub, 1.5 to 3 meters high ; leaves rounded-cordate, 4 to 9 cm. long, obtuse 

 or acute, usually angulate or shallowly lobate, crenate-dentate ; bractlets spatu- 

 late-linear; corolla red, 2 to 3.5 cm. long. " Manzanilla " (Veracruz). 



The fruit is edible, and is eaten either raw or cooked. 



6. Malvaviscus populifolius Presl, Rel. Haenk. 2: 135. 1836. 

 Colima to Chiapas and Morelos. Guatemala. 



Leaves 5 to 20 cm. long, acute or acuminate, rounded or cordate at base, 

 angulate or shallowly lobate, crenate or dentate ; corolla red, 3 to 3.5 cm. long. 



