Plants of the Punjab. 



245 



Herbs, 'Erect, with Alternate Stipulate Lobed Leaves. 



Petals united. 



otherwise like the last species. This plant is cultivated 

 for the sake of the edible calyx, from which an acid jelly 

 is prepared ; it is used as a preventive of scurvy. The stems 

 supply a strong silky fibre. 



Hibiscus ficulneus, 



Dula, kapasiya. 

 Malvace.^. 

 F. B. I. i. 340. 

 The Plains. 



very large, annual, branches usually covered with 

 broad-based sharp prickles, leaves 2^-4 in., 5-7-lobed, 

 with wide sinuses between the lobes, lobes broad at the 

 tip, narrow at the base, unequally toothed, stalks 2^-4 in., 

 stipules I in. long, linear, hairy, soon falling off, flowers 

 1-2 in. diam., white with a pink centre, on stalks, half the 

 length of the leaf stalks, the upper in a leafless raceme, 

 bracteoles 4-6, broad, leafy, sepals united nearly entirely, 

 tips thread-like, capsule 1| in. long, ovoid, felted, with a 

 curved beak, 5-angled, sticky when young, seeds round, 

 softly hairy ; otherwise like the last species. This plant is 

 often cultivated and supplies an excellent white fibre, 

 the seeds are put into sweetmeats. 



Hibiscus pungens, 



Malvace^. 

 F. B. I. i. 341. 



Himalava, 

 2-5,000 ft. 

 (Duthie). 



medium size, annual or perennial, branches bristly 

 and dotted, leaves 5-8 in., heart-shaped, 7-lobed, lobes 

 linear-lanceolate, long-pointed, deeply toothed, upper 

 3-lobed, stalk longer than the blade, stipules broadly lance- 

 olate, upper ones linear, flowers 5 in. diam., yellow with a 

 purple centre drooping on racemose stalks 1-2 in. long, 

 bracteoles 1 in., enlarging in fruit, calyx 5-toothed, staminal 

 co'umn with anthers all the way up, capsule f in. long, 

 slender, hairy ; otherwise like the last species. 



Hibiscus 

 Abelmoschus, 

 Musk mallow, 



Mushk dana, kasiuri 

 hhendi. 

 Malvace^. 

 F. B. I. i. 342. 

 The Plains. 



large, annual, hairy, branched ; leaves heart-shaped, 

 ovate or usually 3-7-lobed, lobes oblong-lanceolate, short- 

 er long-pointed, coar^^ely toothed, hairy above or below, 

 stalk longer than the blade, stipule small, awl-shaped, 

 flowers 3-4 in. diam., yellow with a crimson centre, soli- 

 tary often apparently terminal on stout curved stalks, 

 bracteoles 6-12, linear, ununited, hairy, much shorter than 

 the calyx, sepals united except the 5 tips, spht down on 

 one side, capsule 2-|-3 in., ovate, short-pointed, hairy, seeds 

 kidney-shaped, with a musky scent ; otherwise like the last 

 species. Musk is obtained from this plant and it also yielda 

 a strong fibre, it is, therefore, widely cultivated. 



