Hibiscus.] xxvi. MALVACEAE. (Maxwell T. Masters.) 343 



4-5 in. diam., yellow with a purple centre. Anthers scattered. Capsule H in-, ovoid, 

 furrowed. /Seeds numerous, reniform. The form called fusiformis has more deeply 

 divided leaves than the type. 



H. ESCULENTUS, L. ; DC. Prodr. i. 450; annual, hairy, not prickly, 

 leaves cordate 3-5-lobed lobes oblong toothed scabrous, peduncle shorter 

 than the petiole, bracteoles 8-10 deciduous equalling the calyx, capsule 

 pyramidal. Cav. Diss. iii., t. 61, f. 2. H. longifolius, Moxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 210 ; 

 Wall. Gat. 2699 ; DC. Prodr. i. 450. Abelmoschus esculentus, W. & A. 

 Prodr. i. 53 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 152. 



Cultivated throughout India, probably originally native. DISTEIB. Naturalized or 

 cultivated in all tropical countries. 



A tall herb covered with rough hairs. Leaves coarsely toothed ; petiole 6 in., more 

 or less bristly. Stipules subulate. Peduncles about 1 in. Bracteoles 1 in., linear-subu- 

 late. Flowers yellow with a crimson centre. Staminal-tube antheriferous throughout. 

 Fruit 6-10 by 1 in., pyramidal-oblong, glabrescent, cells 5-8-seeded. Seeds striate, 

 hairy. Variable. Roxburgh distinguishes the West Indian "Ochro," H. esculeiitus, 

 from his If. longifolius, but does not specify in what the difference consists, and the 

 plants are so variable that it is difficult to suppose the difference to be specific. The 

 pods are used as pot herbs and for their demulcent properties. 



SECT. 7. Paritium. Trees. Bracteoles connate at the base. Capsule 

 with false dissepiments. 



32. H. tiliaceus, L. ; DC. Prodr. i. 454; arboreous, leaves cordate 

 roundish acute rarely lobed glabrous above hoary beneath. Roxb. Fl. Ind. 

 iii. 192 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 153 ; BeddomeFl. Sylvat. Anal. Gen. t. 4 

 Paritium tiliaceum, W. & A. Prodr. i. 52 ; Wight Ic. t. 7 ; Wall. Cat. 1912 ; 

 Thwaites Enum. 26 ; Dah. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 17 ; Griff. Notul. iv. 523. 



Coasts of both PENINSULAS, BENGAL, and CEYLON. DISTRIB. Tropics of both hemi- 

 spheres, usually near the coast. 



A much-branched tree. Leaves 4-5 in. diam., leathery, roundish, crenulate, abruptly 

 acuminate, 7-nerved, sometimes glandular beneath ; petiole 1-3 in. Stipules subulate, 

 1 in. 'Peduncles terminal with stipule-like deciduous bracts at the base. Bracteoles 

 7-10, linear-lanceolate, connate above the middle. Calyx 1 in., about the length of 

 the bracteoles or longer. Sepals lanceolate, downy outside. Corolla 4 in. diam., cam- 

 panulate with a crimson centre. Staminal-tube 1^ in., antheriferous all the way down. 

 Capsule shorter than the calyx, ovoid, pointed, spuriously 10-celled, 5-valved; valves 

 pilose. Seeds reniform, thinly pilose. 



VAR. 1. tortuosus, stem crooked, branches twisted, capsule as long as the calyx. 

 Hibiscus tortuosus, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 192; Wall. Cat. 1912 G, 1913 B; Bheede, 

 Hort. Mai. i. t. 30. In herbarium specimens I can find nothing to warrant the sepa- 

 ration of this as a distinct species, the form of leaf and relative length of the bracteoles 

 and capsule being subject to variation ; but in a native state and under cultivation they 

 look very different. 



33. H. floccosus, Mast., arboreous, leaves cordate angled thinly stellate- 

 pilose on both surfaces, bracteoles connate into a bell-shaped 5-toothed 

 tube less than half the length of the calyx. 



Mount Opbir, MALACCA, Maingay. 



A. tree. Young branches and outer surface of the calyx covered with rusty floccose, 

 tomentum. Leaves 4-5 in. diam., obscurely 5-augled ; petiole shorter than the blade. 

 Peduncles racemose, terminal ; pedicels stout, 1^ in. long, jointed near the base ; brac- 

 teoles deltoid at the apex and somewhat, recurved. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, united 

 for half their length. Corolla 3 in. diam., pink, twice the length of the calyx. Petals 

 oblong-spathulate, venoso-striate, stellate-pilose on the outside. Staminal-tube pilose. 

 Capsule oblong, truncate, shorter than the calyx, downy on the outside. Seeds cottony. 

 Allied to H.ferrugineus, DC., of Madagascar. 



