324 XXVI. MALVACE^. (Maxwell T. Masters.) [Strfa. 



acuminate. Carpds smooth or reticulate.— Very variable in form of leaf, relative 

 length of peduncle, position of joint, and size of the carpellary awns. — This species and 

 its allies yield good fibre. 



The following forma may be more or less readily distinguished, and many more might 

 be added, but their characters merge so much one into the other, that discrimination 

 becomes difficult. 



Var. 1. seahrida, W. & A. Prodr. i. 57 (sp.); sprinkled with rigid hairs, leaves con- 

 do'orous, peduncles jointed at the base, carpels awnod. 



Var. 2. retusa, Linn, (sp.) ;, leaves obovate retuse hoary underneath, peduncles 

 equalling the leaves jointed above the middle, carpellary awns short. — Cav. Diss. i. t. 3, 

 f. 4, and Diss. v. t. 131, f. 2 ; W. & A. Prodr. i. 58 ; WaU. Oat. 1870 ; DC. Prodr. i. 

 462 ; Boxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 175 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 17. S. chinensis, Eetz ex Boxb. 

 Hurt. Deng. 97 ; Fl. Ind. iii. 174. S. philippica, DC. Prodr. i. 462 ; W. d; A. Prodr. 

 I.e.; Wall Cat. 1869 ; Mheede Sort. Mai. x. 18 ; Eurnph. Ami. v. t. 19.— The S cory- 

 nocarpa, WaU. Cat. 1870, seems to be a form of this variety, with densely, intricate 

 woody bninohe.'i, and long carpellary awns. 



Vae. 3. rhomhoidea, Eoxb. Hort. Beng. 50, Fl. Ind. iii. 176 (sp.) ; leaves rhomboid 

 hoarv beneath, peduncles jointed at the base, carpellary awns very short inflected. 

 DC. Prodr. i. 462; W. & A. Prodr. i. 57; WaU. Cat. 1862 E, 186b; Thwaites 

 Enum. 28. S. rhombifolia. Wall. Cat. 1862 F. ? S. orientalis, Ca/v. Diss. i. t. 12.— 

 The flowers expand at noon {Roxb). 



Var 4. ohovata. Wall. Gat. 1864 (sp.) ; leaves I4 by 2 in. broadly obovate hoary 

 beneath, apex coarsely toothed, base cuneate, petiole \ in., peduncle longer than the 

 petiole shorter than the blade. 



Var. 5. microphylla, Cav. Diss. i. 1. 12, f 2 (sp.) ; leaves small elliptic dentate hoary 

 beneath, peduncle slightly exceeding the petiole, carpels 5-7 awned. — Boxb. Fl. Ind. 

 iii. 170; DC. Prodr. i. 461. 



8. S. corylifolia, WaU. Cat. 1865; leaves oblong glabrous on both 

 surfaces crenate-serrate base rounded, peduncle longer than the petiole 

 jointed above the middle, carpels smooth, awns long erect covered with 

 reflexed bristles. 



BiHMA, Wallich. 



Herbaceous Leaves 4 by 2 in., concolorous ; petiole 1\ in. ; stipules deciduous. 

 Peduncle 1{ in. Calyx broad, onp^shaped, J in. diam., glabrous ; sepals deltoid, acute, 

 shorter than the carpellary awns. — Eesembles S. cordifolia in the long awns. 



ft. S. Qordifolla, L. ; DC. Prodr. i. 464; downy, erect, leaves cordate- 

 oblong obtuse crenate, carpels 10 awned awns longer than the calyx covered 

 with stiff reflexed hairs. Roxh. Fl. Ind. iii. 177 ; WaU. Gat. 1649 ; W. & A. 

 Prodr. i. 58 ; Thwaiies Enum. 28 ; Dah. <& Giis. Bomh. Fl. 1 7 ; Mast, in Oliv. 

 Fl. Trap. Afr. i. 181 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 140. S. herbacea, Cav. 

 Diss. i. 19, 1. 13, f. 1 ; DC. Prodr. i. 463 S. micans, Cav. Diss. i. 19, t. 3, f. 1. 

 S. rotundifolia, Vav. Diss. i. 20, t. 3, f. 6, and Diss. vi. t. 194, f . 2 ; Wall. Cat. 

 1849, D ; DC. Prodr. i. 464. S. althaeifolia, Swartz; GuUl. & Per. Fl. Seneg. 

 i. 73. — Rheede Hort. Mai. x. t. 64. 



Generally distributed throughout tropical and subtropical India. — Distrib. A tropical 

 weed. 



Annual or perennial. Leaves 14-2 by 1-1 J in., very downy on both surfaces; 

 petiole as long as the leaf; stipules linear, half the length of the petiole. Peduncles 

 jointed near the flower, lower distant longer than the petioles, upper crowded very short. 

 Flowers yellow. Carpels furrowed at the back, sides reticulated. — Flowers with the 

 other species in the rainy and cool seasons. 



DODBTFDL SPECIES. 



S. PENTACABP03, Boxb. ex Horn. Supp. 78 ; DO. Prodr. i. 473, an annual plant 

 having cordate sub-triciispidate leaves, peduncles as long as the petioles, and mutioous 

 very hispid carpels. — Kosteletzhya pentacarpos is not a native of India. 



