'{24 xxvi. MALVACEAE. (Maxwell T. Masters.) [Sida. 



acuminate. Carpel* smooth or reticulate. Very variable in form of leaf, relative 

 length of peduncle, position of joint, and size of the carpellary awns. This species and 

 its allies yield good fibre. 



The following forms may be more or less readily distinguished, and many more might 

 l>e added, but their characters merge so much one into the other, that discrimination 

 becomes difficult. 



VAR. 1. xcfibrida, W. & A. Prodr. i. 57 (sp.); sprinkled with rigid hairs, leaves con- 

 ro orous, peduncles jointed at the base, carpels awned. 



VAK. 2. retusa, Linn, (sp.) ; leaves obovate retuse hoary underneath, peduncles 

 equalling the leaves jointed above the middle, c;irpellarv awns short. Cav. Diss. \. t, 3, 

 f. 4, and Diss. v. t. 181, f. 2 ; IT. <( .1. /Wr. i. .38 : WaH fat. 1870; DC. /W,-. i. 

 4fi2 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 175; Dalz. & Gil,*. Jlomb. Ft. 17. S. chinensis, Retzex Roxb. 

 JL>rt. Bevg. 97 ; Fl Ind. iii. 174. S. j-hilippica, DC. Prodr. i. 462 ; W. & A. Prodr. 

 I.e.; Wall Cat. 1869; ttheedc Hnrt. M/. x. IS ; J.'tnii/ /i. Atnb. v. t. 19. The S cory- 

 nocarpa, Watt. Cat. 1870, seems to be a form of this variety, with densely intricate 

 "WOody branches, airl long carpellary a\vns. 



VAR. 3. rhomboiilifi, Uoxb. Hurt. Deng. 50, Fl. Ind. iii. 176 (sp.); leaves rhoml < >id 

 honrv beneath, peduneles jointed at the base, carpellary awns very short infl.-ct.-d. 

 DC. Prodr. i. 462; If. ,'i- .1. 7V/>,/r. i. 57 ; Wall (V/V. is.;-.' E, 1863 ; Thmtii,'* 



_'S. S rlionibit'olia, Wall. C,,t. ISGl 1 F. ? S. orientalis, Cap. Diss. i. t. 11'. 

 Th" (lowers expand at ink -n (Roxb}. 



\'AI: 4. olioi-dtd, Wall. < 'at. 1864 (sp.) ; leaves l by 2 in. broadly obovate hoary 

 beneath, apex e Kirsely toothed, base cuneate, petiole $ in., peduncle longer than the 

 petiole shorter than the blade. 



VAK. ."-. i,n'i-r<>/iliif!ln, Cav. Diss. i. t. 12, f . 2 (sp.) ; leaves small elliptic dentate hoary 

 ,. peduncle slightly exceeding the petiole, carpels 5-7 awned. Roxb. Fl. Ind. 

 iii. 170; DC. Prodr^i. 461. 



s. S. corylifolia, Wall. Cat. 1865; leaves oblong glabrous on both 

 surfaces rrenate-serrate base rounded, peduncle longer than the petiole 

 jointed above the middle, carpels smooth, awns long erect covered with 

 reflcxed bristles. 



I'.IKMA, \Valticlt. 



Herl areous Leaves 4 by 2 in., concolorous ; petiole 1} in. ; stipules deciduous. 

 rulmicl' 1 '_, in. Calif j' broad, eup-sliajn-d, \ in. iliam., glabrous; sepals deltoid, acute, 

 siiorter than the carpellary awns. ll.-s.-mliles >*>'. cordifolia in the long awns. 



'.). S. cordifolia, L. ; !)('. Prodr. i. 404; downy, erect, leaves cordate- 



oblong obtuse crenate, carpols lo awned a\vns longer than the calyx covered 

 with stiff reflexed hairs. //.,//,. /'/ I,,, I. iii. }77, Wall. Cut. IMS); W. <(- A. 

 ./'mtlr. \. 68j Tlnixnl,-* Kmnn. i>s ; Ihitz <(- (,'ifo. l'x>u<l>. /'/. 17; Maxt. in (>/,. 

 /'/. 7'/v r - Afr. i. 181 ; .!//</. /'/. Iwl. J'xit. i. pt. 2, 140. S. herbacea, Cfcr, 

 i. 19, t. 13, f. 1 ; IK '. /W/-. i. 4(53 S. micans, Cav. Diss. i. 19, t. :',, t. 1. 

 K rotundifolia, Car. />;.<*. i. ^o, t. 3, f. 6, and Di.. vi. t 194, f. 2 ; Wall. ( 'at. 

 1849, D ; DC. Prodr. i. 4(!4. S. althaeii'olia, tiwartz; Guill. & Per. Fl. 6 

 i. 13.J!heedeHort. Mai. x. t. 54. 



Generally distributed throughout tropical and. subtropical India. DISTRIB. A tropical 

 weed. 



Annual or perennial. Leaves 14-2 by 1-1 \ in., very downy on both surfaces; 

 petiole aa l"n>; as the leaf; stipules linear, half the length of the petiole. Pedmirlrs 

 jointed near the flower, lower distant longer than the petioles, upper crowded very short. 

 Flutters yellow. Carpels furrowed at the back, sides reticulated. Flowers with the 

 other species in the rainy and cool seasons. 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 



S. PENTACARPOS, Roxb. ex Horn. Hvpp. 78 ; DC. Prodr. i. 473, an annual plant 

 having cordate sub-tricnspidate leaves, peduncles as long as the petioles, and muticous 

 very hispid carpels. Kostdvtzkya pentacarpos is not a native of India. 



