mbiscus.] XXVI. MALTACEJE. (Maxwell T. Masters.) 343 



4-5 in. diarn., yellow with a purple centre. Anthers scattered. Capsule 1i in., ovoid 

 furrowed. . Seeds numerous, reniform.— The form called fusiformis has more deeply 

 divided leaves than the type. 



H. BSCULBNTUS, L. ; DC. Prod/r. i. 450; annual, hairy, not prickly, 

 leaves cordate 3-5-lobed lobes oblong toothed scabrous, peduncle shorter 

 than the petiole, bracteoles 8-10 deciduous equalling the calyx, capsule 

 pyramidal. Cav. Diss, iii., t. 61, f. 2. H. longifolius, Rodb. Fl, Ind. iii. 210 : 

 WaE. Gat. 2699 ; DO. Prodr. i. 450. Abelmoschus esculentus, W. <k A. 

 Prodr. i. 63 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 152. 



; Cultivated throughout India, probably originally native. — Distkib. Naturalized or 

 cultivated in all tropical countries. 



A tall herb covered with rough hairs. Leaves coarsely toothed ; petiole 6 in., more 

 or less bristly. Stipules subulate. Peduncles about 1 in. Bi-acteoles 1 in., linear-subu- 

 late.^ Flowers yellow with a crimson centre. Staminal-tube antheriferous throughout. 

 fruit 6-10 by 1 in., pyramidal-oblong, glabreaoent, cells S-S-.seeded. Seeds 'striate, 



pods are used as pot herbsand for their demulcent properties. 



Sect. 7. Farltium. Trees. Bracteoles connate at the base. Capmde 

 with false dissepiments. 



32. K. tiliaceus, L. ; DC. Prod/r. i. 454; arboreous, leaves cordate 

 roundish acute rarely lobed glabrous above hoary beneath. Roxh. Fl. Ind. 

 iji. 192 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2, 153 ; BeddomeFl.Sylvat. Anal. Gen. t. 4. 

 Paritium tiliaceum, W. & A. Prodr. i. 52 ; Wight Ic. t. 7 ; Wcdl. Cat. 1912 ; 

 Tkwaites Enum. 26 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 17 ; Griff. Notul. iv. 523. 



Coasts of both Pehinsulas, Behoai, and Ceylon. — Disteib. Tropics of both hemi- 

 spheres, usually near the coast. 



A much-branched tree. Leaves 4-5 in. diam., leathery, roundish, crenulate, abruptly 

 acuminate, 7-nerved, sometimes glandular beneath ; petiole 1-3 in. Stipules subulate, 

 1 in. Peduncles terminal with stipule-like deciduous bracts at the base. Bracteoles 

 7-10, linear-lanceolate, connate above the middle. Oalyx 1 in., about the length of 

 the bracteoles or longer. Sepals lanceolate, downy outside. Corolla 4 in. diam., cam- 

 panulate with a crimson centre. Staminal-tube I4 in., antheriferous all the way down, 

 ffapsate shorter than the calyx, ovoid, pointed, spuriously 10-celled, 5-valved; valves 

 pilose. Seeds reniform, thinly pilose. 



Vae. 1. tortv/jsiu, stera crooked, branches twisted, capsule as long as the calyx. 

 Bibisous tortuosus, Moxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 192; Wall. Cat. 1912 G, 1913 'R ,—Bheede, 

 Mort. Med. i. t. 30. — In herbarium specimens I can find nothing , to warrant the sepa- 

 ration of this as a distinct species, the form of leaf and relative length of the bracteoles 

 and capsule being subject to variation ; but in a native state and under cultivation they 

 look very difierent. 



33. K. floccosus, Mast,, arboreous, leaves cordate ajigled thinly stellate- 

 pilOse on both surfaces, "bracteoles connate' into a bell-shaped 5-toothed 

 tube less than half the length of the calyx. 



Mount Ophir, Malacca, Maingay. 



A tree. Toung hranches and outer surface of the calyx covered with rusty floccose, 

 tomentura. Leaves 4-5 in. diam., obscurely 5-augled ; petiole shorter than the blade. 

 Pedwncks racemose, terminal ; pedicels stout, IJ in. long, jointed near the base ; brac- 

 teoles deltoid at the apex and somewhat recurved, . Sepals oblong-lanoeolate, united 

 for half their length. Corolla 3 in. diam., pink, twice the length of the calyx.- Petals 

 oblong-spathulate, venoso-striate, stellate-pilose on the outside. Staminal-tube pilose. 

 Capsule oblong, truncate, shorter than the calyx, downy on the outside. Seeds cottony. 

 —Allied to M.ferrugineus, DC, of Madagascar. 



