MALLOW FAMILY. 6t 



are remarkably mucilaginous, and much esteemed, by many persons, as 

 a table vegetable, and as an ingredient in soups. 



6. HIBIS'CUS, L. ROSE-MALLOW. 



[An ancient classical name, for one of the Mallow Family.] 



Calyx 5-cleft, persistent. Involucel of many linear bractlets. Column of 

 stamens long, bearing anthers for much of its length. Styles united ; 

 stigmas 5, capitate. Pod 5-celled, opening into 5 valves which bear the 

 partition on their middle. Herbs or shrubs with showy flowers. 



1. H. trio'num, L. Upper leaves deeply 3-parted, lower ones toothed ; 

 calyx inflated, membranaceous, with bristly-ribs, 5- winged at the summit. 

 THREE-LOBED HIBISCUS. Bladder Ketmia. Flower-of-an-hour. 



Annual. Stem 1-2 feet high, branched. leaves l-'3 inches long, the lobes lanceolate, 

 the middle one longest ; pdioled. Flowers greenish yellow with a purple spot at base, 

 axillary, solitary, fugacious ; peduncles about as long as the petioles. Stigma&f>. 



Gardens and lots. Native of South Europe and Africa. July -September. 



Obs. Formerly cultivated in gardens, and not rare as a weed in cul- 

 tivated grounds. 



2. H. SYRI'ACUS, L. Shrubby or tree-like ; leaves ovate-wedge-shaped, 

 smooth, entire at the base, 3-lobed and toothed at the apex ; pedicels 

 scarcely longer than the petioles ; involucel 6 - 7-lobed. 



SYRIAN HIBISCUS. Rose of Sharon. Shrubby Althaea. 



06s. Yery common in cultivation, where it is usually kept trimmed ; 

 when allowed to grow uncut it forms a large tree-like shrub, with long 

 straggling branches. The flowers are of various shades, from white to 

 deep purple ; often becoming double. It is rather troublesome in 

 grounds on account of the readiness with which it propagates itself by 

 the seeds. * 



7. GOSSYP'IUM, L. COTTON. 



[A name supposed to be of Egyptian origin ; etymology obscure.] 



Calyx cup-shaped, obtusely 5-toothed, surrounded by a 3-leaved involucel ; 

 the leaflets united and cordate at base, deeply incised-dentate. Styles 

 united ; stigmas 3 or sometimes 5. Capsule 3- 5-celled, loculicidal. Seeds 

 numerous, enveloped in a long fine wool. Young brandies and leaves more 

 or less covered with black dots ; the nerves beneath usually with one or 

 more glands. 



1. G. HERBA'CEUM, L. Stem smooth ; leaves 3- 5-lobed, with a single 

 gland beneath ; lobes rounded, mucronate ; involucel serrate ; wool white. 

 HERBACEOUS GOSSYPIUM. Cotton. Cotton-plant. 

 Ft: Le Cottonnier. Germ. Die Baumwolle. Span. Algodon. 



Root annual. Stem 2-4 feet high, branched. Leaves 3-5 or 6 inches long ; petioles 2-3 

 inches long. Petals greenish yellow, tinged with purple at base, feeds large, thickly 

 beset with long wool-like cellular or tubular fibres, which, at maturity, are shrunk and 

 contorted so as to render them in some degree adhesive, when pressed together, and 

 thereby susceptible of being spun or drawn and twisted into delicate threads. 



Cultivated very largely in the Southern and South-western States. Native of Asia. 



