208 XXXVII. MALVACKM. HIBISCUS 



1. A. OFFICINALIS. Marsh Mall,ow. 



Lvs. soft-4owny on both sides, cordate-ovate, dentate, somewhat 3-lobed, 

 all entire ; ped. much shorter than the leaves, axillary, many-flowered. Tj. A 

 European plant, naturalized on the borders of our salt marshes. Stem 3f high, 

 erect, firm, covered with thick, woolly down, with alternate, velvet-like leaves. 

 Flowers large, axillary and terminal, pale purple. The root, as well as the 

 other parts of the plant, abounds in mucilage, and in medicine is often used as 

 an emollient to promote suppuration. Sept. ;j. 



2. A. ROSEA. Cav. (Alcea rosea. Linn.) Hollyhock. St. erect, hairy; Ivs. 

 cordate, 5 7-angled, rugose ; fls. axillary, sessile. () Native of China 1 A tall 

 plant, very commonly cultivated in gardens. Numerous varieties have been 

 noticed, with single, double, and semi-double flowers, of various shades of 

 coloring, as white, rose-colored, flesh-colored, dark red, and even a purplish 

 black, purple, yellow, straw-color, &c. f 



3. A. FICIFOLIA. Cav. (Alcea ficifolia. Linn.) Fig-leaved Hollyhock. St. 

 erect, hairy ; Ivs. palmate, 7-lobed beyond the middle, lobes oblong, obtuse, an- 

 gularly toothed. Native of Levant. Stem tali as the above. Flowers orange- 

 colored t .-f 



5. HIBISCUS. 



Calyx 5-cleft, surrounded by a many-leaved involucel ; stigmas 5 ; 

 capsule 5-celled ; cells several-seeded. 



1. H. MOSCHEUTOS. T. & G. (H. Moscheutos and palustris. Linn.) 

 Marsh Hibiscus. 



Herbaceous, simple, erect; Ivs. ovate, obtusely dentate, hoary-tomen- 

 tose beneath; pcd. long, axillary, or connected with the petiole. 7J. A tall, 

 showy plant, in brackish marshes by the sea or near salt springs, and on wet 

 prairies, U. S. and Can. Stem round, downy, 4 6f high. Leaves 4 6' by 

 3 4', often with two lateral lobes. Flowers larger than those of the holly- 

 hock, rose-colored, purple in the centre. Peduncles usually distinct from the 

 petiole, often some of them united with it, and jointed above the middle 

 Styles 1' longer than the stamens. Aug. 



/?. (H. incanus, Wcndll) Fls. larger; pet. (4 5' long) of a light sulphur- 

 yellow with a purple base. Marshes, Indiana ! 



2. H. VIRGINICUS. Virginian Hibiscus. 



Lvs. acuminate, cordate-ovate, serrate-dentate, upper and lower ones un- 

 divided, middle ones 3-lobed ; ped. axillary, and in terminal racemes ; fls. nod- 

 ding ; pistils declinate. Tj. Marshes near the sea. L. I. to Ga. The whole plant 

 scabrous-tomentose, about 3f high. Leaves 2 2V by !', some of them some- 

 what 3-lobed. Flowers 2 3' diam., red or rose-color. Capsule hispid, acute- 

 angled. Aug. 



3. H. MILITARIS. Cav. Halbcrl-leaved Hibiscus. 



Glabrous ; Ivs. hastately 3-lobed, lobes acuminate, serrate ; cor. tubular- 

 campanulate ; caps, smooth, ovoid-acuminate. Middle and Western States. 

 Stem 3 4f high. Leaves cordate at base, 4 or 5' long, rendered somewhat 

 hastate by a small lobe each side at base. Petals flesh-color, with a purplish 

 base, 2 3' long. Peduncles with the joint above the middle. Jl. Aug. 



4. S H. MANIHOT. Hand-leaved Hibiscus. 



Not prickly ; Ivs. palmately divided into 5 7 linear, acuminate, coarse- 

 ly dentate lobes; ped. and involucel hispid; bracts of the involucel 5 7, ovate or 

 lanceolate, acutish, persistent, entire; cal. split on one side; capsule densely 

 hirsute, acuminate. 1\. Western States. A beautiful herb, 4 5f high. Leaves 

 cordate, lobes 6 10' long, J !' wide, separated to near the base, about as lo;,g 

 as the petioles. Teeth largest near the summit. The flowers are of an ex- 

 ceedingly rich sulphur-yellow ; purple in the centre. Petals 3 4' long. Jl. Aug. 

 5. H. COCCINEUS. Walt. (H. speciosus. Ait. and 1st. edit.} Scarlet Hibis- 

 cus. Very smooth ; Ivs. palmate, 5-parted ; lobes lanceolate, acuminate, remote- 

 ly serrate above; w. expanding; cap. smooth, ovoid. 1\. A splendid flower, 

 native of damp soils, in. Georgia, &c., and is raised from seeds in our gardens. 



