774 MALVACEAE 



often red, inequilateral, each with a lateral auricle. Ovary 5-celled. Styles 2-parted, the 

 branches thus 10. Stigmas capitate. Ovules solitary in each cavity. Fruit berry-like, by 

 the union of the fleshy carpels. 



1. Malvaviscus Drummondii T. & G. Perennial, tomentulose. Stems erect, 8-19 

 dm. tall, simple or more or less widely branched : leaf-blades suborbicular in outline, angu- 

 lately 3-lobed, crenate, cordate, dark green above ; petioles shorter then the blades : 

 peduncles axillary, about as long as the subtending petioles : bractlets of the involucels 

 narrowly spatulate : calyx about as long as the bractlets ; lobes ovate, shorter than the 

 tube : petals vermilion, 2.5 cm. long : fruit berry -like, 1 cm. in diameter, red, subglobose : 

 carpels finally separable. 



In sandy soil, Florida to Texas and Mexico. Spring to fall. 



13. HIBfSGUS L. 



Perennial herbs, shrubs or trees, various in habit. Leaves alternate : blades entire, 

 lobed or parted : petioles commonly subtended by stipules. Flowers perfect, showy, on 

 short axillary peduncles. Involucel of several, or rarely 3-5 distinct or united bractlets. 

 Sepals 5, more or less united. Petals 5, of various colors, often blotched. Ovary 5-celled, 

 sessile : styles 5, usually spreading : stigmas capitate or peltate. Ovules 2-many in each 

 cavity. Capsules oblong to globose, 5-celled, loculicidally 5-valved. Seeds of various 

 shapes, glabrous or pubescent. ROSE MALLOW. 



Bractlets of the involucels distinct. 

 Calyx persistent, not spathe-like. 



Corolla cylindric, or only the tips of the petals slightly spreading : seeds woolly. 



1. //. tubiflorus. 



Corolla with more or less widely spreading petals : seeds glabrous or hirsute. 

 Calyx fitting closely to the capsules. 



Sepals united only at the base, spreading. 2. H. cardiophyttus. 



Sepals partially united into a campanulate tube. 



Shrub or small tree. 3. H. Synacus. 



Herbs, usually perennial. 



Bractlets dilated or forked at the apex, often with 2 lateral seg- 

 ments. 



Foliage finely tomentose. 4. H. furcettatus. 



Foliage hispidulous. 5. H. aculeatus. 



Bractlets entire, not dilated at the apex. 

 Foliage variously pubescent. 



Leaf-blades strigose or with plush-like pubescence above : 



bractlets conspicuously ciliate. 6. H. lasiocarpus. 



Leaf-blades glabrate or densely velvety above : bractlets 



merely pubescent. 



Leaf-blades about as broad as long, strongly lobed. 7. H. grandiflorus. 



Leaf-blades much longer than broad, merely toothed. 

 Leaf-blades glabrous or nearly so above: capsules 



glabrous. 8. H. Moscheutos. 



Leaf-blades densely velvety above : capsules hispid. 9. H. incanus. 

 Foliage glabrous. 



Leaf-blades parted into 5-7 segments. 10. H. coccineus. 



Leaf-blades merely toothed or lobed. 



Calyx-lobes longer than the tube. 11. H. inteatifoliiu. 



Calyx-lobes shorter than the tube. 12. //. militaris. 



Calyx inflated and bladder-like, enclosing the smaller capsule. 13. H. Trionum. 



Calyx spathe-like, splitting on one side and deciduous. 



Bractlets oblong or oblong-lanceolate. 14. H. Manihot. 



Bractlets narrowly linear. 15. H. esculentus. 



Bractlets of the involucels united into a cup with 8-10 lobes. 16. H. tiliaceus. 



1. Hibiscus tubiflorus DC. A branching shrub 3-18 dm. tall, with stellular- 

 hirsute foliage. Leaf-blades triangular-ovate or angulately 3-lobed, 1-4 cm. long, obtuse 

 or acutish, serrate-dentate, truncate or cordate at the base ; petioles shorter than the 

 blades : peduncles as long as the subtending petioles or longer, recurving : bractlets of the 

 involucel about 10, linear or nearly so, 7-9 mm. long, hispid : calyx slightly longer than 

 the bractlets ; lobes triangular or triangular-lanceolate, acuminate, about as long as the 

 tube : corolla crimson, 2-2.5 cm. long, cylindric, or the petals with slightly spreading 

 tips : capsule over 1 cm. long : seeds woolly. 



In woods, Florida Keys, also in Mexico and the West Indies. Throughout the year. 



2. Hibiscus cardiophyllus A. Gray. Perennial from a woody base, rough velvety 

 tomentose. Stems 3-8 dm. tall, usually branched : leaf-blades ovate to suborbicular, 

 more or less constricted above the middle, thus somewhat 3-lobed, 3-8 cm. long, obtuse or 

 acutish, dentate, prominently nerved beneath, cordate ; petioles about as long as the blades 

 or shorter : bractlets of the involucel about 10, 1.5 cm. long, with lanceolate blades : calyx 

 surpassing the involucel ; lobes lanceolate, sometimes broadly so, acute, 3-ribbed and re- 



