172 FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 
like fiber sometimes called bastard hemp. In the marshes along the 
Atlantic coast of the United States grows the beautiful rose mallow 
-(H. moscheutos), very completely illustrated in Fig. 149. The nearly 
related genus Abelmoschus contains plants with aromatic properties, 
some of which are used in the manufacture of perfume. A. esculentus 
is the okra, one of the leading vegetables in the South, where it is 
extensively used both as a table vegetable and as the basis for soups. 
In our western States, particularly on the Pacific coast, there are 
numerous wild mallows belonging to the genera Sphaeralcea and Mal- 
vastrum. Malvaviscus, Pavonia and Abutilon yield handsome green- 
house plants. Malva, with several species, is found as a weed in many 
parts of the world. 
Family Bombacaceae. Silk-cotton Family. Contains 20 genera 
and about 100 species, widely distributed in the tropics of both hemis- 
pheres. Tney are trees of characteristic appearance, usually with pal- 
mately lobed or compound leaves, large solitary flowers, and capsules 
containing numerous seeds invested with a copious supply of down. 
The baobab of Africa (Adansonia digitata) which has been frequently 
described, is a member of this family. The accompanying figure (150) 
gives a good idea of the habit of the tree, with its enormous trunk, and 
also of the foliage, flowers and fruit. Ceiba is the common silk-cotton 
tree of the West Indies. The family may be distinguished from the 
Malvaceae by the fact that the stamens are in five or more sets. 
Family Sterculiaceae. Sterculia Family. Contsins about 40 gen- 
era and 500 species, mainly South African and Australian. They are 
trees, shrubs or herbs, closely related to the preceding families, from 
which they differ in having the anthers of the stamens 2-celled. The 
seven tribes exhibit remarkable diversity in structure, so that it is not 
possible to give a more complete account of family Characters. One of 
the most important economic genera is Theobroma (see Eig. 151). 
Chocolate in all its forms is the product of the ripe seeds of 7. Cacao, 
which are first fermented and then dried. The tree is successfully cul- 
tivated in many parts of South America. A valuable tonic is furnished 
by the juice of the cola nut (Cola acuminata), which, although a native 
of Africa, has been extensively introduced into South America. Others 
of the Sterculiaceae are in ornamental cultivation. 
