76 MALVACEAE. 



Corolla of 5 convolute petals. Aiidroecium of numerous monadelphous 

 stamens. Gynoecium of several united carpels. Fruit capsular or some- 

 times baccate. 



Fruit of several radially disposed carpels which separate at maturity. 



Mature carpels spine-armed. 1. PAVONIA. 



Mature carpels spineless, sometimes cuspidate. 2. MALACHE. 



Fruit a loculicidal capsule, or rarely indehiscent. . 



Styles distinct : seeds reniform. 



Bractlets of the involucel distinct. 3. HIBISCUS. 



Bractlets of the involucel united into a lebed cup. 4. PARITIUM. 



Styles united : seeds not reniform. 



Bractlets of the involucel entire : seeds short-hairy. 5. THESPESIA. 



Bractlets of the involucel laciniate : seeds long-hairy. 6. GOSSYPIUM. 



1. PAVONIA Cav. Shrubs or woody herbs. Leaf -blades angled or lobed. 

 Involucel present. Sepals 5, partially united. Petals 5, often showy. Carpels 

 5, 1-celled, spine armed. 



1. P. spinifex (L.) Cav. Shrub 1-3 m. tall, hirsute and stigillose: leaf -blades 

 ovate to oblong-ovate, 5-10 em. long: bractlets linear to lanceolate: calyx-lobes 

 lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate: petals yellow, 2.5 cm. long: mature carpels 5-6 

 mm. long, the spines slender-subulate. 



Sandy woods and thickets, e. coast of Fla. (Cont., W. I.) 



2. MALACHE B. Vogel. Shrubs or partially woody plants. Leaf -blades 

 broad, remotely serrate or repand, 3-ribbed. Involucel of 6-8 bractlets or more. 

 Sepals 5, partially united. Petals 5, pale. Carpels with a median crest at the 

 apex and 2 lateral cusps. 



1. M. scabra B. Vogel. Plants 1-3 m. tall, puberulent: leaf -blades ovate to 

 oblong-ovate, 6-15 em. long: bractlets oblong-lanceolate: calyx-lobes ovate: 

 petals greenish-yellow or whitish, 2-2.5 cm. long: mature carpels about 10 mm. 

 long, reticulate on the back. [Pavonia racemosa Sw.] 

 Coastal hammocks, s. pen. Fla. and the F. Keys. (W.I.) 



3. HIBISCUS L. Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaf-blades entire, lobed, or 

 parted. Involucel of several, rarely 3, distinct bractlets. Sepals 5, more or 

 less united. Petals 5, white, colored or variegated. Carpels forming a 5- 

 valved capsule. 



Corolla with more or less spreading petals. 



Corolla mainly red or salmon : calyx-lobes lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate. 



1. H. Rosa-Sinensis. 



Corolla nearly pink or white : calyx-lobes triangular-ovate. 2. H. syriacus. 

 Corolla cylindric, or with the tips of the petals slightly 



spreading. 3. H. spiralis. 



1. H. Rosa-Sinensis L. Shrub or small tree, usually sparingly pubescent : leaf - 

 blades ovate to ovate-lanceolate, rounded or abruptly narrowed at the base, 

 coarsely and unequally toothed: bractlets narrowly linear: calyx-lobes lanceo- 

 late, more pubescent within than without: petals rose-red, or rarely of other 

 colors: capsules 2-2.5 cm. long. SHOE-BLACK PLANT. CHINESE-ROSE. 



Fields, waste places, and roadsides, pen. Fla. Nat. of China. (W. I.) 



2. H. syriacus L. Shrub or small tree, minutely pubescent when young: leaf- 

 blades 3-lobed, coarsely crenate, 3-12 cm. long: bractlets linear or linear- 

 spatulate, 10-20 mm. long: calyx-lobes triangular-ovate: petals deep-pink, or 

 white with crimson blotches at the base : capsules oblong-ovoid, 2-2.5 cm. long. 

 SHRUBBY-ALTHAEA. EOSE-OF-SHARON. 



Fields and roadsides, n. Fla. and the upper pen. Nat. of W. Asia. (Cont.) 



3. H. spiralis Cav. Plants 3-18 dm. tall, stellate-hirsute : leaf -blades triangular- 

 ovate or angulately 3-lobed, 1-4 cm. long: bractlets linear or nearly so, 7-9 mm. 



