Camellia^ ternstikemiace/e. 31 



minate, about 3 in. long, glabrous above, of a thinner consistence than in the 

 other species. Flowers white, veiy shortly pedunculate or nearly sessile, 

 drooping. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, long-pointed. Petals, especially the inner 

 ones, broader, larger, with shorter points, all slightly silky-hairy or pubescent 

 outside. Stamens and styles as in the last. Capsule glabrous, beaked. — 

 Thea salicifolia, Seem, in Linn. Trans, xxii. 349. 



In woods, Champion and others. Not as yet found out of the island. 



A single specimen in Wright's collection, with the foliage of C. salicifolia, hut without 

 flowers, has a single glabrous capsule, obtuse, not rostrate as in that species, and the per- 

 sistent sepals are much broader and less pointed. The materials are insufficient to deter- 

 mine whether it be a distinct species, or a mere variety of C. 



Ordeu XVII. MALVACEAE. 



Sepals united in a 5-lobed (rarely 4- or 3-lobed) calyx, the lobes valvate in 

 the bud. Petals as many, hypogynous, convolute in the bud, usually adhe- 

 ring at their base to the staminal tube. Stamens indefinite, hypogynous, 

 united in a tube or column round the ovary, free at the top. Anthers 1-celled. 

 Ovary of several carpels variously arranged round the central axis, or united 

 in a several-celled ovary. Style single, with as many or twice as many lobes 

 as carpels, rarely entire. Ovules 1 or more in each cell or carpel, erect or 

 pendulous. Fruit various, usually capsular or separating into 1 -seeded cocci. 

 Seeds usually reniform. Albumen little or none. Embryo curved, with 

 twisted cotyledons. — Herbs, or soft-wooded trees and shrubs. Leaves alter- 

 nate, stipulate, usually palmately veined or lobed. Peduncles 1 -flowered, ax- 

 illary and solitary, or arranged in axillary fascicles or short racemes, or in ter- 

 minal racemes. Bracteoles often 3 or more, close under or upon the calyx, 

 forming an involucre or outer calyx. 



A considerable Order, dispersed over the whole globe except the extreme Arctic regions. 

 Carpels 1-ovulate, arranged in a ring round the axis. 

 Style-branches as many as carpels. 



Ovule ascending 1. Malvastrum. 



Ovule pendulous 2. Sida. 



Style-branches twice as many as carpels 4. Urena. 



Carpels with 2 or more ovules, more or less united in a several- celled 

 capsule. 

 Anthers terminating the staminal column. Carpels free at the 



top. Bracteoles none 3. Abutilon. 



Staminal column ending in 5 teeth, below which the anthers are 



placed. Carpels united to the top. Bracteoles several ... 5. Hibiscus. 



(See also Helicteres, in Sterculiace^e.) 



1. MALVASTRUM, A. Gray. 



Bracteoles under the calyx, 1 to 3, small, or sometimes wanting. Calyx 

 5-lobed. Staminal column divided at the top into several filaments. Carpels 

 5 or more, in a ring round the axis, 1-ovulate, indehiscent. Style with as 

 many branches as carpels; stigmas terminal. Seed ascending. — Herbs. 

 Flowers rather small, orange, red, or yellow. 



An American genus, of which one species is dispersed as a weed over most of the tropical 

 regions of the Old World. 



