116 XXII. MALVACE^. 



6. ABUTILON, Gartn. 



(Of Arabic origin, alluding to the yellow colour of the Mediterranean species.) 



Bracteoles none. Calyx 5-lobed. Staminal column divided at the top into 

 several filaments. Ovary-cells 5 or more, verticillate, each with 3, or more, rarely 

 2, ovules. Style-branches as many as cells, filiform or club-shaped, with terminal 

 stigmas. Fruit-carpels united at the base or entirely seceding, rounded or angular 

 or with diverging points (not connivent) at the top, opening in 2 valves, without 

 internal appendages. Seeds nearly reniform, the upper ones usually ascending, 

 the lower ones pendulous or horizontal. — Herbs or shrubs, rarely trees, usually 

 clothed with a soft stellate tomentum. Leaves usually cordate, angular or lobed, 

 rarely narrow ; petioles usually long (except in ^. m.s/(M?n,;. Stipules in all the 

 Australian species subulate and deciduous. Flowers in the Australian species 

 axillary, yellow or rarely white, the pedicels articulate above the middle or near 

 the top. 



A large genus, distributed over the tropical and warm regions of the globe, ehieffy American. 

 The genus has frequently been united with Sida, but the characters derived from the diverging 

 carpels with more thah 1 ovule in each, as contrasted with the converging uniovulate carpels of 

 Sida, are too constant and convenient to be neglected in groups so very numerous in species. 

 The differential characters given to several of the following species from the tropical regions, 

 or from the deserts of the interior, are as yet very unsatisfactory, owing to the imperfect state 

 of many of the specimens, often mere fragments. — Benth. 



§ 1. Capsule truncate or concave at the top. Carpels (usually 2 or 3-seeded) angular-pointed 

 or awned at the upper outer edge, persistent, or rarely at length deciduous leaving the filiform 

 placenta attached to the axis. 



Carpels (usually 10 or fewer) not exceeding the calyx-lobes, the points erect, 

 or rarely divergent. Stems usually (perhaps always) shrubby. 

 Calyx-lobes shorter than the tube. 

 Petals adnate high up the glabrous staminal tube. Calyx tubular, lin. 



long 1. ^. tubulosum. 



Petals shortly adnate to the pubescent base of the staminal tube. 

 Calyx J to fin., lobes acuminate or rather obtuse, spreading, much 

 J shorter than the tube. 



Petals above lin. long 2. A. leucopetalmn. 



Petals shortly exceeding the calyx 3. A. Mitchelli. 



Calyx about Jin., rather inflated, truncate, sinuate, or with very 

 short obtuse lobes. 

 Petals very small. Staminal column much loriger than the calyx 4. A. micropetalum. 

 Calyx-lobes longer than the tube or cup, acuminate. 

 Calyx-lobes very concave and prominently keeled. Carpels about 10, 



scarcely acuminate .... 5. A. otocarpum. 



Calyx-ribs or angles scarcely prominent. Carpels 4 or 5, acuminate . 6. A. subviscosum. 

 Carpels usually exceeding the calyx-lobes, the pointj often divergent. 

 Herbs usually tall, sometimes hard, almost woody at the base. 



Stems coarse and erect. Leaves broadly cordate. 

 Capsule truncate. Carpels numerous, the points very short. Tomen- 

 tum close and dense, usually without spreading hairs. 



Stipules small and subulate. Flowers mostly axillary T. A. indicum. 



Stipules broadly semisagittate. Flowers in ternjinal leafless racemes 



or panicles 8. .4. auritum. 



Capsule contracted and angular at the top. Carpels numerous, with- 

 out points. Tomentum dense, mixed with long spreading hairs . . 9. ^1. graveolem. 

 Stems rather slender. Leaves ovate or cordate-lanceolate. Capsule 

 truncate, with short divergent points 10. A. oxycarpum. 



§ 2. Carpels (often 1-seeded by abortion) rounded or angled at the top, quite distinct, and 

 seceding from the axis when fully ripe (Gayoides, Endl.) 



Carpels numerous (about 20), closely packed, very hirsute. Tall herbs, 

 with large, broadly cordate leaves. ' '' 



Carpels angular at the top, leaving persistent filiform placentas . . . 9. A. graveolens. 

 Carpels rounded sit the top, completely deciduous . . , . ... .11. 4. mi^tiQum 



