304 STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



which resemble those figured in the above list. There is little recorded, however, con- 

 .ceming variety, as in the regions where its culture is particularly affected there is a paucity 

 of writers. Miller's Dictionary, 1807, mentions that there are different forms of pods 

 in different varieties; in some, not thicker than a man's finger, and five or six inches long; 

 in others, very thick, and not more than two or three inches long; in some, erect; in others, 

 rather inclined. Lunan,' in Jamaica, 1814, speaks of the pods being of different size and 

 form in the varieties. In 1831, Don^ describes a species, the H. bamtnia Link., with 

 very long pods. In 1863, Burr ' describes four varieties in American gardens; two dwarfs, 

 one pendant-podded and one tall and white-podded. In 1885, at the New York Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, varieties were grown under 11 different names and from 

 these there were three distinct sorts only. Vilmorin,* 1885, names but two sorts, the 

 long-fruited and the round-fruited. 



H. ficulneus Linn. ^^ 



Tropics of Asia 'and Australia. This species is cultivated in Egypt as a vegetable." 



H. furcatus Willd. 



Old World tropics. This species of hibiscus is used as a vegetable.* 



H. hirtus Linn. 



East Indies and Malay. This species furnishes a vegetable of Bengal and the East 

 Indies.' 



H. maculatus Lam. 



Santo Domingo. This plant is used for food purposes.* 



H. micranthus Linn. f. 



African tropics and East Indies. It is used as a vegetable.' 



H. rosa-sinensis Linn. Chinese hibiscus. 



Old World tropics. This is a well-known ornament of our hot-houses. The people 

 of India '" and China,'' prepare a kind of pickle from the petals of the flowers. 



H. sabdariffa Linn. Indian sorrel, roselle. 



Old World tropics. Two varieties, the red and white, are cultivated in most gardens 

 of Jamaica for the flowers which are made, with the help of sugar, into very agreeable 

 tarts and jellies, or fermented into a cooling beverage. '^ Roselle is now cultivated in most 



' Lunan, J. Horl. Jam. 2:12. 1814. 



' Don, G. Hist. Dichl. Pis. 1:480. 1831. 



Burr, F. Field, Card. Veg. 614. 1863. 



*Vilmorin Teg. Card. 357. 1885. 



' Unger, F. U. S. Pat. Off. Rpt. 359. 1859. 



Ibid. 



' Ibid. 



Ibid. 



Ibid. 



'"Ainslie, W. Ma<. /</. 2:359. 1826. 

 " Drury, H. Useful Pis. Ind. 244. 1873. 

 " Long Hist. Jam. 80$. 1774. 



