178 FLORA DOMF.STICA. 



HIBISCUS. 



MALVACEAE. MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 



THE China Rose and the Changeable Rose are species 

 of jthe Hibiscus ; and the former is reckoned the most 

 beautiful of this handsome genus. It is called by the In- 

 dians the Gem of the Sun. With them it grows to a mo- 

 derately-sized tree ; here it is but a shrub. Its native 

 country has not been correctly ascertained, but it is very 

 common both in China and Cochin-China for garden- 

 hedges, as well as in their gardens, and in those of the 

 East Indies. The Indians make these beautiful flowers 

 into festoons and garlands on all occasions of festivity, and 

 even in their sepulchral rites. They are also put to a very 

 different and humble use : that of blacking shoes, whence 

 it has been named the Shoe-flower. The women blacken 

 their hair and eye-brows with these roses, which blow 

 nearly all the year round. There is a variety with white 

 flowers. 



The Hibiscus Mutabilis, or Changeable Rose, has leaves 

 as large as those of the vine. The flower first opens white, 

 from which it changes to rose-colour, and finally to purple. 

 In the West Indies, all these changes take place in the 

 same day ; but here they occupy the space of a week. 

 This plant is a native of the East Indies ; from whence 

 the French, who call it la fleur d'um heure } carried it to 

 their settlements in the West Indies. It blows in No- 

 vember. 



A third species of Hibiscus is the Venice Mallow, or Hi- 

 biscus Trionum, one of the very few species belonging to 

 this beautiful genus which maybe raised and preserved with- 



