MALVACEAE. 81 



Plate 133. 



HIBISCUS, L. 



Involucellum polyphyllum. Ovarium 5-loculare, loculis 

 pliiriovulatis : stigmata 5, capitata. Capsula 5-loculare, calyce 

 (non longitudinaliter fisso) stipata, loculicide 5-valvis ; loculis 

 oligo-polyspermis. 



Hibiscus, Linn. Gen. 846 (excl. spec). Gasrtn. Fr. 2. p.250. 1. 134. DC. 



Prodr. 1. p. 446 (excl. sect. plur.). Adr. Juss. in St. Hil. Fl. 



Bras. 1. p. 242. Endl. Gen. 5277. 

 Ketmia, Tourn., Adans. 



Rose-Mallow. 



Calyx involucellate with numerous (usually ten or more) 

 subulate or filiform persistent bracts, five-cleft, not spatha- 

 ceous and deciduous after flowering ; the segments valvate in 

 aestivation. Petals 5, obovate, usually spreading, convolute 

 in aestivation, the claws united with the dilated base of the 

 stamineal column. Stamens indefinite, monadelphous ; the 

 column usually elongated or filiform, five-tbothcd at the 

 naked apex, hypogynous ; the filaments emitted from the 

 greater part of its length : anthers reniform, two-valved. 

 Ovaries 5, combined into a five-celled compound ovary, the 

 cells opposite the sepals : styles united into one nearly 

 to the apex, there five-cleft: stigmas 5, depressed-capitate 

 (rarely connate), commonly hispid. Ovules several or nu- 

 merous from the inner angle of each cell, horizontal or 

 ascending, anatropous or nearly so. 



Fruit a five-celled capsule, stipate by or included in the 

 persistent calyx, loculicidally five-valved ; the valves alternate 

 with the sepals, bearing the dissepiments on their middle, 

 leaving no, or scarcely any, central axis. Seeds numerous, 

 or by abortion few in each cell, horizontal, or when few as- 

 cending, obovate or globular ; the testa crustaceous, smooth, 



