132 XXII. MALVACEAE. \_Fiujom(. 



1. P. australis (Australian), Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 220. An undershrub of 

 several feet, hoary with a dense but very short tomentum. Leaves broadly or 

 narrow-ovate, obtuse, If to 2|in. long, entire or more or less sinuate or 3-lobed. 

 Flowers rather large, pink, on very short pedicels, which are often clustered 2 or 

 3 together at the top of axillary peduncles, with a bract or small leaf under each. 

 Bracteoles 3, linear, distinct. Calyx from | to fin. long, tomentose and marked 

 with black glandular dots, the lobes lanceolate or almost linear, varying very 

 much in length. Petals Ifin. long, slightly tomentose outside. Capsule obovoid- 

 oblong, shortly acuminate, tomentose, 3 or 4-valved. Seeds numerous, woolly. — 

 Gos$ypmin aiistrale, F. v. M, Fragm. i. 46, and iii. 6. 



Hab.: Georgina Eiver to Gulf of Carpentaria. 



In habit and foliage this much resembles the Brazilian /''. yWonjidi/bZia, St. Hil., which has, 

 however, more numerous bracteoles and yellow flowers. — Benth, 



13. THESPESIA, Corr. 



(Name derived from its being planted near place of worship in India.) 



Bracteoles 1 to 5, small or deciduous. Calyx truncate, minutely 5 -toothed or 

 rarely 5-lobed. Staminal column bearing numerous filaments on the outside, 

 below or up to the summit. Ovary 5-ceUed, with few ovules in each cell. Style 

 club-shaped at the top, 5-furrowed or obscurely divided into erect stigmatic lobes. 

 Capsule hard, almost woody, indehiscent or loculicidally 5-valved. Seeds obovoid, 

 glabrous or woolly. Cotyledons very much folded, enclosing the radicle, often 

 black-dotted. — Trees or tall herbs. Leaves large, entire or angularly lobed. 

 Flowers large, usually yellow. 



A small genus, limited to tropical Asia, the Pacific isles, and eastern Africa, the Australian 

 species being one which extends over the whole range. Closely allied to Hibiscus, Fugosia, and 

 Gossypium, it differs from the former chiefly in the style, from the two latter generally either in 

 the calyx or bracts, and from all in the more woody capsule. — Benth. 



1. T. populnea (Poplar-leaved), Corr.; DC. Prod. i. 456; Benth. Fl. Amtr. 

 i. 221. Indian tulip-tree. A tree, with the young parts and under side of the 

 leaves sprinkled with minute rust-coloured scales, otherwise glabrous. Leaves 

 broad-cordate, acuminate, entire, 4 or Sin. long. Flowers reddish-yellow, rather 

 large, on axillary pedicels usually shorter than the petioles. Bracteoles 1 to 3, 

 lanceolate and deciduous, or sometimes wanting. Calyx very open, 6 to 8 lines 

 diameter, truncate, with minute teeth. Petals broad, l\ to 2in. long. Capsule 

 fully Ifin. diameter, hard and woody, indehiscent or opening longitudinally when 

 very dry. — Wight, Ic. t. 8. 



Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Torres Straits, and N.E. coast. 



Flowering in May and June. 



The species is widely spread over the seaooasts of tropical Asia, extending from eastern Africa 

 to the Pacific Islands. It is also introduced into the West Indies. — Benth. 



14. GOSSYPIUM, Linn. 

 (From the Arabic name for softness.) 

 (Sturtia, R. Br.) 

 Bracteoles 8, large and cordate.' Calyx much shorter, truncate or shortly 

 5-lobed. Staminal column bearing numerous filaments outside, below or up to 

 the top. Ovary 5, rarely 4-oelled, with several ovules in each cell. Style club- 

 shaped at the top, furrowed, with deourrent Stigmas. Capsule loculicidally 5, 

 rarely 4-valved. Seeds angular or nearly globular, very woolly or nearly 

 glabrous ; cotyledons very much folded, enclosing the radicle.— Tall herbs. 



