XXV. MALVACEAE (MASTEKS). 189 



7. URENA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 205. 



Bractlets 5, adnate to the calyx. Calyx 5-cleft. Stainiual column trun- 

 cate at the apex or 5-toothed; anthers numerous, nearly sessile. Ovary 5- 

 celled, with a single ovule in each cell. Styles 10. Stigmas capitate. Ripe 

 carpels indehiscent, separating from the axis, covered with hooked bristles. 

 Seeds ascending. — Rigid herbs or undershrubs. Leaves angled or lobed. 

 Flowers sessile or on very short stalks, often clustered. Flowers yellow. 



Only differs from Pavonia in the hooked carpels. The species arc widely distributed 

 throughout the tropics of both hemispheres. 



1. U. lobata, Linn.; DC. Prod. i. 441. An erect stiff shrub or herb, 

 more or less pilose in all parts, and often provided with stellate tomentum. 

 Leaves exceedingly variable in size and form ; stalk shorter than the blade, 

 which latter is sometimes linear oblong or oblanceolate, coarsely toothed, with 

 hardly an indication of lobes, at other times suborbicular, subcordate or 

 wedge-shaped at the base, more or less deeply 3-5-lobed, slightly scabrous 

 above tomentose below and palmately 3-5- or 7-nerved ; nerves prominent on 

 the under surface and provided with 1-3 glands near the base. Flowers 

 solitary or geminate, on short, axillary, articulate stalks. Epicalyx of 5 ob- 

 long-lanceolate, erect segments as long as the ripe fruit. Corolla pink, 

 three times the length of the calyx. Fruit subglobose, depressed at the top, 

 of 5 obtuse, three-sided, indehiscent carpels. — U. americana, Linn. R. Br. in 

 Tuck. Congo App. 484. U. diversifolia, Schum. et Thonn. PI. Guin. 308. 

 U. virgata, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. i. 48. U. obtusata, Giiill. et Perr. Fl. 

 Seneg. i. 48. U. tricuspis, Cav. Diss. vi. 334. U. sinuata, Linn. ; DC. Prod, 

 i. 442. 



Upper Guinea. Senegambia, Terrottet ! Gambia, Park ! Whitjield ! Eeudelot ! 

 Niger, T. Vogel ! Barter ! Milne ! Fernando Po, Barter ! 



Nile I«and, Speke and Or ant ! Sennar, Duke of Wiirtemberg ; AVhite Nile, r. Uaniifr. 



Mozamb. Distr., Forbes ! Br. Kirk I 



This species is widely spread throughout the tropics and subtropical regions of both hemi- 

 spheres, and occurs also in Queensland. It is exceedingly variable in the shape of the 

 leaves, the proportions of the several parts of the flower, and the size of the hooks ou the 

 carpels. U. sinuata is generally considered as a distinct species, having more deeply di- 

 vided leaves, with 3 glands on the under surface, but it becomes evident that no reliance can 

 be placed on these characters when a suite of specimens, from many localities, is examined. 

 A deeply-lobed form is cultivated, according to Barter, in the Niger districts, for the sake of 

 its fibre. 



8. PAVONIA, Cav.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 205. 



Bractlets of the epicalyx 5-oo, distinct or connate. Calyx 5-cleft or 

 toothed. Column truncate or 5-toothed at the apex ; filaments numerous. 

 Ovary 5 -celled. Styles 10. Stigmas capitate. Ripe caq)els separating from 

 the axis, rounded or truncate at the upper end, aristate or muricate (not glo- 

 cbidiate), sometimes winged, indehiscent or rarely slightly 2-valv<'d. Radicle 

 inferior. — Herbs or shrubs, covered with down or hair or smooth. Leaves 

 angular or lobed. Flowers stalked, axillary or clustered. Petals spreading 

 or convolute. 



