THEACEAE. 



2. Hibiscus lasiocarpus Cav. HAIRY-FRUITED ROSE-MALLOW. (I. F. f. 

 2435.) Resembles the preceding. Leaves broadly ovate, dentate or 3~7-lobed, 

 mostly cordate or truncate at the base ; pubescence of the lower surface white and 

 densely stellate, that of the upper surface darker, with longer soft nearly simple 

 hairs; bractlets linear, equalling the calyx or shorter, ciliate; capsule ovoid, 

 densely and finely hairy; seeds nearly glabrous. In swamps, southern Ind. to 

 Mo., Fla. and Tex. Aug. 



3. Hibiscus militaris Cav. HALBERD-LEAVED ROSE-MALLOW. SWEATING- 

 WEED. (I. F. f. 2436.) Erect, 1-2 m. high, nearly glabrous. Leaves 1-1.5 dm. 

 long, ovate in outline, acute, or acuminate, cordate or truncate at the base, the 

 lower, or sometimes all, hastately lobed, the margins dentate-crenate; flowers pink 

 with a darker eye, 5-8 cm. long; peduncles jointed above the middle; bractlets 

 linear, slightly shorter than the calyx, glabrous, or with a few scattered hairs; 

 fruiting calyx inflated; capsule ovoid, enclosed by the calyx, glabrous; seeds silky. 

 Along rivers, southern Penn. to Fla., Minn., Neb. and La. Aug.-Sept. 



4. Hibiscus Trionum L. BLADDER KETMIA. FLOWER-OF-AN-HOUR. 

 (I. F. f. 2437.) Pubescent with spreading hairs. Leaves ovate or orbicular in 

 outline, pedately 3-y-lobed or divided, the lobes obtuse, dentate-crenate or 

 cleft; flowers pale yellow with a purple eye, 2.5-6 cm. broad, axillary; petals 

 tinged with purple on the outer edge ; bracts linear, ciliate, much shorter than the 

 membranous beautifully nerved hispid-pubescent 5-angled inflated calyx; capsule 

 globose-ovoid, hairy; seeds roughened with short processes. In waste places, N. 

 S. to Fla., S. Dak. and Kans. Adventive from southern Europe. Aug.-Sept. 



5. Hibiscus Syriacus L. SHRUBBY ALTHAEA. ROSE-OF-SHARON. (I. F. f. 

 2438.) A shrub 3-7 m. high. Leaves short-petioled. ovate, 5-13 cm. long, 3-5- 

 lobed or the upper merely dentate; flowers axillary, short- peduncled, pink or white 

 with a crimson centre. 5-10 cm. broad; bractlets linear; peduncles, bractlets and 

 calyx stellate-pubescent; capsule ovoid, nearly 2.5 cm. long. Escaped from culti- 

 vation, N. J. to Ga. Introduced from W. Asia. Aug.-Sept. 



Order 23. PARIETALES. 



Herbs, shrubs, or some tropical types trees, the flowers mostly com- 

 plete, perfect and regular (irregular in Violaceae). Sepals distinct, or 

 more or less united, imbricated or convolute. Petals almost always 

 present and distinct. Stamens usually numerous. Ovary compound, 

 superior (inferior in Loasaceae) ; placentae mostly parietal. 



Sepals distinct, mostly persistent. 

 Endosperm little or none. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate leaves, and large solitary axillary flowers. 



Fam. i. Theacsae. 

 Herbs or low shrubs with opposite, rarely verticillate leaves. 



Leaves punctate or black-dotted, estipulate. Fam. 2. Hvpericaceae. 



Leaves stipulate; minute or small marsh or aquatic herbs with axillary 

 flowers. Fam. 3. Elatinaceae. 



Endosperm copious. 



Flowers regular, but the 2 outer sepals smaller; stamens numerous, ovulei or- 

 thotropous. Fam. 4. Cistaceae. 



Flowers irregular, some often cleistogamous ; stamens 5; ovules anatropous. 



Fam, 5. Violaceae. 

 Sepals more or less united into a gamosepalous calyx. 



A fringed crown in the throat of the calyx ; our species vines ; stamens 5 : ovary 

 free from the calyx. Fam. 6. Passifloraceae. 



No crown ; our species herbs ; stamens numerous ; ovary adnate to the calyx. 



Fam. 7. Loasaceae. 

 Family i. THEACEAE DC. 

 Tea Family. 



Trees or shrubs with alternate or rarely opposite mainly estipulate 

 leaves, and large, regular, mostly perfect flowers, Sepals 5 (rarely 4-7), 

 imbricated. -Calyx often 2-t>racted at the base. Petals 5 (rarely 4-9)! 



