196 XXV. MALVACEAE (MASTERS). [HibisCUS. 



Bracts oblonsr, acute, entire. Plant densely villose. 



Flower large 20. H. Ludwiffli. 



Epicalyx of more than 5 bracts. 



Bracts dilated above tbe middle 2\. H. panduriformis. 



Bracts not dilated above the middle. 



Leaves without glands. Capsule obtuse 22. H. Grantii. 



Leaves glandular. Capsule pointed. 



Leaves entire or with shallow lobes 22). H. Sabdariffa. 



Leaves deeply divided 24, H. cannablnus. 



Bracts of the epicalyx small or none. Seeds cottony. (Sect. 

 Bomhicella^ 

 Bracts of epicalyx linear-spathulate, as long as or longer than 



the calyx 25. H. crassinervis. 



Bracts linear, shorter than the calyx. 



Flowers approximate. Column aiitheriferous at the top . 26. H. gossypinus. 

 Flowers remote. Column antheriferous nearly all the 



way down 27- H. micranthus. 



Bracts none 28. U. ebructeatus. 



Bracts of the epicalyx small or none. Seeds pilose or smooth, 

 not cottony. (Sect. Lagunaa.) 



Capsule shorter than the calyx 29. H. ternatus. 



Capsule longer than the calyx 30. -ff. SoJandra. 



Calyx deciduous, long, cleft. Capsule elongate. (Sect. Abel- 

 moschvs.) 

 Annual. Peduncles much shorter than the petioles . . . . 31. if. esculentus. 



Perennial. Peduncles nearly equal to the petiole 32. H. Abelmoschus. 



Calyx persistent. Tall trees. Vernatiou conduplicate. (Sect. > 



Paritium^ 

 Leaves smooth, leathery, cordate, ovate. Stipules large . . 38. ^. tiliaceus. 



Leaves rough, pentangular. Stipules small 34. H. stercalicefolius. 



There is, in addition to the above, a species described by Webb from Kordofan, — K. 

 Muhamedis, — Webb's description of which will be found at the end of the genus. 



1. H. Trionum, Linn. ; DC. Prod. i. 453. A much -branched hispid 

 annual, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves 2-3 in. long, on long stalks, roundish, gene- 

 rally deeply palmately 3-5-lobed ; lobes variable in shape, coarsely and 

 irregularly toothed, hispid, lower leaves undivided. Peduncles solitary, as 

 long as the petioles, jointed near the top. Epicalyx of 7-12 distinct, linear, 

 riliolate segments. Calyx ventricose, accrescent, 5-cleft ; lobes triangular 

 or obtuse with 3 green hispid nerves. Corolla yellow with a purple centre, 

 larger than the calyx. Capsule oblong, obtuse, blackish, ciliated. Seeds 

 smooth. — H. vesicarius, Linn. ; DC. Prod. i. 458. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper ! Dr. Roth! Upper Egypt and Kordofan, Z(9^*<?^y ./ 

 Soturba, Schweiyifarth. 



A very widely distributed subtropical weed, extending to S. Africa, Asia Minor, Syria, 

 S. Europe, India, Kashmir, China, and Australia. 



2. H. dictyocarpus, ^ebb. Frag. Fl. MtUop. 46. Stem woody, 

 erect, much-branched, covered with numerous spreading villi. Petioles 

 2-4 in. long, villose, longer than the leaves, which are cordate roundish or 

 angular, 3-5-lobed ; lobes oblong-lanceolate, coarsely and remotely toothed, 

 central lobe longest, tomentose on both surfaces, palmately 5-7-nerved, Pe- 

 duncles solitary, axillary, 1-2 in. long, shorter tlian the adjacent petiole. 

 Epicalyx of 10-12 distinct, linear-oblong, spathulate bracts, equalling the 

 bell-shaped, deeply 5-parted calyx. Calyx-lobes oblong-lanceolate, 3-nerved. 



