246 



Plants of the Punjab. 



Heebs, Erect, with Alternate Stipulate Lobe'd Leaves. 



Petals united. 



Hibiscus canceiiatus, 



Malvace^. 

 F. B. I. i. 342. 



The Plains to 

 6,000 ft. 

 Simla, Syri 

 (Collett). 

 Hazara (Douie). 



large, annual, bristly, root spindle-shaped, leaves 

 4-6 in., bluntly 5-angled, or rounded, round-toothed, 

 hairy, upper leaves with angular lobes at the base, stalks 

 4 in., stipules linear, flowers 4-5 in. diam., drooping, j^ellow 

 with a purple centre on stalks much shorter than the leaf- 

 stalks, ractmed at the ends of branches, bracts 2 at the 

 base of each stalk, awl-shaped, bracteoles 10-18, 1| in. 

 long, linear, bristly, incurved, capsule ovoid, furrowed, 

 very hairy, equal in length to the bracteoles, seeds many, 

 kidney-shaped, black, not musky ; otherwise like the last 

 species. 



Hibiscus esculentus, 

 Okra, 



Bhindi, ramiurai. 

 Malvace^. 

 F. 13. I. i. 343. 

 The Plains to ' 

 4,000 ft., 

 cultivated. 



large, annual, roughly hairy, leaves 8-12 in. long, 

 o-5'lobed, heart-shaped at the base, lobes lanceolate-oblong, 

 coarsely toothed, rough, stalk as long as the blade, reddish, 

 stipules linear, flowers large, yellow with a crimson centre 

 on stout short stalks, shorter than the leaf-stalks, brac- 

 teoles 8-10, linear, equal in length to the calyx, soon 

 falling off capsule 6-10 in. long, oblong, tapering 6-8- 

 ribbed, smooth or hairy, seeds many, round, wiih lines, 

 smooth or hairy ; otherwise like the last species. This 

 plant is commonly cultivated, the unripe capsule and 

 ;Leeds are eaten as a vegetable. It yields a silky fibre 

 which is used in paper-making. 



Pentapetes 

 phoenicea, 



Dopahariija, 

 gul dwpaharia. 



STERCULIACEJ3. 



F. B. I. i. 371. 



The Plains, in wet 

 places. 



large, annual, smooth or bearing a few scattered star- 

 shaped hairs, branched ; leaves 3-5 in., triangular or 

 lanceolate with 2 lobes at the base, round-toothed, 

 smooth above, star-shaped hairs on the. veins beneath, 

 stalk 1 in., stipules linear, equal in length to the stalk ; 

 flowers 1-1 1 in., scarlet, open at noon, drop next morning, 

 one or two together on jointed axillary stalks, bracteoles 

 3-5, thread-like, half the length of the calyx, soon falling off, 

 sepals 5, lanceolate, united below, rough, petals 5, ovate 

 with a broad tip, stamens 20, 15 fertile in 5 groups of 3 

 alternating with 5 unfertile (staminodes), style dividing 

 above and twisted, stigmas 5, minute ; capsule \ in. diam., 

 nearly round, bristly with star-shaped hairs, shorter than 

 the persistent sepals, seeds 8-12, in 2 rows in each of the 

 5 cells, angular, rough. The capsule is used as a de- 

 mulcent. 



