74 MALLOW FAMILY. 



14. HIBISCUS, ROSE-MALLOW. (Ancicm name, of obscure origin.) 

 Flowers showy, usually large, in summer and autumn. 



* Tall shrubs or even trees, exotics. 



H. Syriacus, TREE H. or SHRUBBY ALTHAEA, of gardens and grounds, 

 common, native of the Levant : nearly smooth, with wedge-ovate and 3-lobed 

 leaves, and short-peduncled flowers in their axils, in autumn, about 3' broad, 

 purple, rose-color, white, &c., often double. 



H. Bosa-Sin6nsis. CHINA H. or HOSE OF CHINA. Cult, in conserva- 

 tories, from East Indies (where the splendid corollas, which stain black, are used 

 to black shoes) : very smooth, with bright green ovate and pointed somewhat 

 toothed leaves, and very showy flowers on slender peduncles, 4' or 5' broad, 

 scarlet-red (rarely rose-purple or even white), often double. 



* * Herbs, with persistent and regular 5-lolted calyx, and a short pod. 

 i- Wild species, but sometimes cultivated, tall and large. 11 



H. COCCineuS, GREAT RED H. or ROSE-MALLOW. Marshes from Caro- 

 lina S. ; very smooth, 4 - 7 high, with leaves 5-parted or deeply cleft into 

 long lanceolate and taper-pointed divisions, and bright-red corolla 6' - 1 1 ' broad, 

 thepetals narrowed below. 



H. militaris, HALBERD-LEAVED R. Low grounds from Pennsylvania 

 and Illinois S. ; smooth, 3 - 4 high, with ovate or heart-shaped toothed or 

 3-lobed leaves, some of them halberd-shaped, and slender-peduncled flowers, 

 with inflated calyx, and flesh-colored corolla 4' - 5' broad. 



H. Moscheutos, SWAMP R. Common in brackish marshes and up the 

 larger rivers ; 3 7 high, soft-downy ; the ovate pointed and often 3-lobed 

 leaves hoary beneath, generally smooth above ; peduncles slender; corolla 4' - 6' 

 broad, pale rose or white, with or without a darker centre ; pod smooth. 



H. grandiflbrus, LARGE-FL. R. Swamps, from Illinois and Carolina S. ; 

 like the last, but leaves soft-downy both sides, and pod velvety-hairy. 



H. aculeatus, PRICKLY or ROUGH R. Swamps only S. ; rough with 

 stiff bristles and bristly points, 2 - 6 high ; leaves 3 - 5-cleft and the divisions 

 mostly toothed ; flowers short-peduncled ; leaves of the involucre often forked ; 

 corolla yellow with a purple centre, 4' broad ; pod bristly. 



- *- Exotic low species, in gardens or cultivated grounds. (T) 



H. Tribnum, BLADDER KETMIA or FLOWER-OF-AN-HOUR. Rather 

 hairy, l-2 high, with the leaves toothed, or the upper 3-parted into lanceolate 

 lobes, the middle lobe much longest; calyx inflated and bladdery ; corolla about 

 2 r broad, sulphur-yellow with a blackish eye, open only in midday sunshine. 



* * * Herbs, with calyx splitting down one side, and generally falling off at once, 

 and with long or narrow pyramidal or angled pod : natives of East Indies. 



H. esculentus, OKRA or GUMBO. Nearly smooth, with rounded heart- 

 shaped 5-lobed toothed leaves, greenish-yellow flowers on slender peduncle (invo- 

 lucre falling early), and narrow pods 3' or 4' long, which are very mucilaginous, 

 and when green cooked and eaten, or used to thicken soups : cult. S. 



H. Mani hot. Smoothish, with leaves 5 - 7 -parted into long narrow divis- 

 ions ; the large and showy corolla pale yellow with a dark eye ; the leaves of 

 the involucre hairy and soon falling off: introduced or cult. S. W. 11 



15. GOSS^TIUM, COTTON. (Name given by Pliny, from the Arabic.) 

 Plants now diffused over warm countries, most valuable for the wool on the 

 seeds : the species much mixed up. 



G. herbaceum, COMMON COTTON. Cult. S. Leaves with 5 short and 

 roundish lobes ; petals pale yellow or turning rose-color, puqjle at base. 



G. Barbad6nse, BARBADOES OR SEA-!SLAND C. Cult, on the coast S. 

 Inclining to be shrubby at base ; branches black-dotted ; leaves with 5 longer 

 lance-ovate and taper-pointed lobes ; leaves of the involucre with very long and 

 slender teeth ; petals yellowish or whitish with purple base. 



G. arb6reum, TREE C. Cult. S., only for curiosity, has 5-7 nearly 

 lanceolate and taper-pointed lobes to the leaves, leaves of involucre slightly 

 toothed, and a purple corolla with a darker centre. 



