118 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
those of S. platanifolia: (figs. 85-87) in China; in America, those 
of Pachira aquatica; in the East, those of Hibiscus ficulneus, 
before maturity ; in tropical Africa, those of several Sidas, roasted 
as a substitute for coffee. It is known that children eat, under the 
name of cheeses (Fr., Fromageons), the carpels of most of our indi- 
genous Mallows. Very often the seeds of the J/alvacee are prin- 
cipally edible on account of the oil they contain in abundance. A 
great deal of oil is now obtained as food for cattle, from the oleagi- 
nous embryo of the Cotton plant, which was formerly thrown away 
after the textile material had been removed. This embryo is now 
employed in the preparation of emulsions. The oil is used in Brazil, 
in seasoning food for man, and it is burnt for lighting purposes. The 
seeds of Sferculia furnish the natives of the Moluccas with an oil 
good to eat orto burn. The Nut of Malabar, whose oil also is burnt, 
is S. Balanghas (figs. 79-84). The seeds of some Sidas, especially 
those of S. Arta Li, are eaten in India as aperients and diuretics ; 
those of S. abutilifolia as emollients. The seeds of Hibiscus abel- 
moschus (Fr, Ambretle) are considered astringents and alexiphar- 
mics. They are especially valued for their perfume, their odour recal- 
ling that of musk. This plant, anative of Tropical Asia, is cultivated 
in most warm countries. The best seeds are said to come from 
Martinique. In medicine it is employed as a stimulant and 
antispasmodic. It is also proposed to utilize in perfumery Palavia 
moschata, also very odoriferous. The perfume of the flowers is 
not generally very strong among the Malvaceae. The corollas of 
the Oceanian and Indian J/e/ochias, which have numerous flowers in 
panicles, called also Visenia, have an agreeable and lively odour 
which can be extracted. The herbaceous organs of the Jalvacee 
are pretty often edible, especially the leaves, the young shoots, 
and sometimes the roots. It is said that the ancient inhabitants 
of the Canary Islands lived on the roots of Malva and Althea, 
scraped and cooked in milk. The shoots of the Marsh-Mallow 

1L., Suppl, 423.— Hibiscus simpler L.,  Encyel. Se, Méd., i, 200,—Abelmoschus commu- 
Spec., 977.—Firmiana platanifolia MARSIGL.— nis Mupik.—GurB., Drog. Simpl., éd. 6, iii, 
R. Br., Loc. cit., 235.—Culkamia ForsK. 640, fig. 743.—4. moschalus Mæœxcn.—Ro- 
2 L., Spec., 1438— DC, Prodr., n. 2.— SENTH., op. cit., 711,.—Granwn moschatum 
Cavalam RuEED., Hort. Malab., i. t. 49. RumPx., Herb, Amboin., iv. 40, 15 (vulg. Fleur 
3% Hibiscus Abelmoschus L., Spec., 980.— musquée). 
DC., Prodr., i. 452, n. 72.—H. BN., in Dict. 
