1484 



HIBISCUS 



HIBISCUS 



1911 to the trade. They are stated to be hybrids of 

 H. coccineus and H. Moscheutos, the first cross being 

 made in 1905, first plant flowered in 1906. The colors 

 range from white to crimson, sometimes with an eye. 

 The culture of such a various group as hibiscus cannot 

 be described in detail. In general, the species present 

 no special difficulties. They are strong and profuse 

 growers, and mostly thrive under a variety of condi- 

 tions. The herbaceous perennial species are late sum- 

 mer and fall bloomers, with hollyhock-like flowers. 

 They send up new strong shoots or canes each year. 

 Many of them are perfectly hardy in the North, but 

 even these profit by a mulch covering. Others are 

 tender in the North, and the roots should be taken 



1829. A garden rose-mallow. White. (XH) 



up after frost and stored in a dry, warm cellar. Keep 

 them just moist enough to maintain life in them. Many 

 times the roots of these herbaceous species are set in 

 large pots in the spring, and they then make excellent 

 specimens. All the species require a deep rich soil and 

 a good unfailing supply of moisture. The only popu- 

 lar glasshouse species in this country is H. Rosa-sinen- 

 sis, a showy and floriferous summer bloomer, of many 

 varieties. The culture of this species is indicated 

 under No. 28. 



INDEX. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



A. Plant annual or biennial (sometimes 

 perennial in the case of Nos . 3 and 6). 



B. Habit low and diffuse l. Trionum 



BB. Habit erect, the plants mostly tall, 



strict and stout. 



C. Calyx 5-cleft, not ventricose or 

 spathe-like. 



D. St. not prickly 2. Sabdariffa 



DD. St. prickly 3. cannabinus 



cc. Calyx long and spathe-like, split- 

 ting on one side, deciduous. 

 D. Bracteoles linear. 



E. Caps, short (Sin. or less) 4. Abelmoschus 



EE. Caps, long and large (5 in. or 



more} 5. esculentus 



DD. Bracteoles broad and leafy 6. Manihot 



AA. Plant obviously perennial, herbaceous 

 (or sometimes woody below). 



B. Branches and petioles prickly 7. diversifolius 



BB. Branches and petioles not prickly. 



c. Bracteoles lobed or forked 8. aculeatus 



cc. Bracteoles entire, not enlarged at 



apex. 



D. Foliage glabrous or essentially 

 so. 



E. Lvs. toothed or lobed 9. militaris 



EE. Lvs. deeply divided 10. coccineus 



DD. Foliage pubescent or tomentose. 

 E. Calyx-lobes ovate or ovate- 

 lanceolate. 



p. Lvs. hastately S-lobed 11. grandiflorus 



FF. Lvs. only obscurely angle- 



lobed 12. lasiocarpus 



EE. Calyx-lobes with triangular 

 outline. 



F. Fls. rose-color 13. Moscheutos 



FF. Fls. white with reddish cen- 

 ter 14. oculiroseus 



EEE. Calyx-lobes ovate to triangular- 



Ifinceolate; fls. often yellow. 15. incanus 

 AAA. Plant distinctly woody, being a shrub 



or a tree. 



B. Branches and petioles prickly. (No. 

 18 may sometimes lack prickles.) 



c. Fls. yellow 16. radiatus 



cc. Fls. pink 17. cisplatinus 



ccc. Fls. white 18. heterophyllus 



BB. Branches and other parts usually 



not prickly or spiny. 

 c. Color of fls. on the order of yellow. 

 D. Involucre an 8-10-toothed cup. 



E. Species Japanese: a shrub ... 19. Hamabo 

 EE. Species tropical; usually 



small trees. 

 F. The involucre deciduous 



with the calyx 20. elatus 



FF. The involucre persistent 



with the calyx 21. tiliaceus 



DD. Involucre of 5 separate bract- 



eoles 22. calycinus 



cc. Color of fls. pink, scarlet, white. 



D. Petals deeply cut 23. schizope talus 



DD. Petals entire or essentially so. 

 E. Lf. -mar gins practically entire 

 (sometimes toothed at apex), 

 or only obscurely crenulate. 



F. Fls. red 24. liliiflorus 



FF. Fls. white, axillary 25. Arnottianus 



FFF. Fls. white, terminal 26. Denisonii 



EE. Lf. margins lobed or toothed. 



o. Lvs. downy 27. mutabilis 



QO. Lvs. essentially glabrous. 

 H. Stamens prominently 



exserted 28. Rosa-sinensis 



HH. Stamens not exserted... 29. syriacus 



1. Tridnum, Linn. (H. vesicarius, Cav. H. afri- 

 canus, Hort.). FLOWER-OF-AN-HOTJR. BLADDER KET- 

 MIA. TRAILING HOLLYHOCK. Fig. 1830. Annual, 1-2 

 ft. high, bushy-spreading, the main branches becoming 

 prostrate, usually hispid-hairy: Ivs. 3-5-parted, the 

 upper ones 3-parted, with the middle lobe much the 

 largest, the lobes linear-oblong or sometimes widening 



