MALVACEAE 



623 



Fig. 351. Cacao Tree (Theobroma Cacao). 1. Branch with flowers and fruit. 

 2. Flower cut through longitudinally. 3. Seed. 4. Fruit with a portion of pericarp re- 

 moved. The beans are well known articles of commerce. (After Wossidlo). 



is cultivated for its fiber. The cotton fibers are plant hairs coming from the 

 seed. Cotton seed is used to manufacture an oil serving in place of olive oil, 

 and cotton seed meal, the latter a valuable stock food. The refuse material is 

 used as a fertilizer. The highly explosive gun cotton is made by soaking cotton 

 in sulphuric and nitric acids. Other cottons are Sea Island cotton (G*. barba- 

 dense} and tree cotton (G. arboreum}. The bark of cotton root has very active 

 principles. Marsh mallow (Altheae officinalis} used in medicine as a stim- 

 ulant and in confectionery, contains asparagin C 4 H 8 N O 3 H O and bassorin 

 C, 2 H 2 ,0 10 . 



Okra or gumbo (Hibiscus esculentus) is extensively cultivated in the 

 south and in Europe for the young mucilaginous pods which are edible. The 

 H. ficulneus is used in a similar way. The fleshy red calyx of the Jamaica 

 sorrel (H. Sabdariffa) is used in making jellies and sauces; the fiber makes 

 good cordage material. 



The wood of the Cuba bast (Hibiscus elatus), native to the West Indies, 

 produces a timber of greenish color used in cabinet work. The lace-like inner 

 bark is used for wrapping and is known as lace bark. From the fiber of H. 

 tiliaceus a strong paper can be made very cheaply. This is also used by the 

 natives of the Pacific Islands in making ropes. 



Fibers are obtained from Hibiscus tiliaceus, H. cannabinus, Arena lobata, 

 Abutilon indicus, Sida retusa and Napaea laevis. A beautiful wood is derived 

 from the magar (Thespesia grandiflora) of Porto Rico, the color being red 

 when fresh, black when dry. The hollyhock (Althaea rosca) is well known in 



