74 MALLOW FAMILY. 



14. HIBISCUS, EOSE-MALLOW. (Anciem name, of obscure origin.) 

 Flowers showy, usually large, in summer and autumn. 



* Tall shrubs or even trees, exotics. 



H. Syriacus, Tree H. or Shrubby Alth^a, of gardens and grounds, 

 common, native of the Levant ; nearly smooth, with wedge-ovate and 3-lobcd 

 leaves, and short-peduncled flowers in their axils, in autumn, about 3' broad, 

 purple, rose-color, white, &c., often double. 



H. Bosa-Siudusis. China H. or Rose of China. Cult, in conserva- 

 tories, from East Indies (where the splendid corollas, which stain black, are used 

 to black shoes) : very smooth, with bright green ovate and pointed somewhat 

 toothed leaves, and very showy flowers on slender peduncles, 4' or 5' broad, 

 scarlet-red (rarely rose-purple or even w¥te), often double. 



« * Herbs, with persistent and regular 5-lobed calyx, and a short pod. 

 ■I- Wild species^ biM sometimes cultivated, tall and large. % 



H. COCefneus, Great jRed H. or Rose-Mallow. Marshes from Caro- 

 lina S. ; very smooth, 4° -7° high, with leaves 5rparted or deeply cleft into 

 long lanceolate and taper-pointed divisions, and bright>red corolla 6'- 11' broad, 

 the petals narrowed below. 



H. militkris. Halberd-leaved R. Low grounds from Pennsylvania 

 and Illinois S. ; smooth, 3° - 4° high, with ovate or heart>shaped toothed or 

 3-lobed leaves, some of them halberd-shaped, and slender-peduncled flowers, 

 with inflated calyx, and flesh-colored corolla 4' - 5' broad. 



H. MoschetltOS, Swamp R. Common in brackish marshes and up the 

 larger rivers ; 3° - 7° high, soft-downy ; the ovate pointed and often 3-lobed 

 leaves hoary beneath, generally smooth above ; peduncles slender ; corolla 4' - &' 

 broad, pale rose or white, with or without a darker centre ; pod smooth. 



H. graildi&6rus, Large-fl. R. Swamps, from Illinois and Carolina S. ; 

 like the last, but leaves soft-downy both sides, and pod velvety-hairy. 



H. acule&tus, Prickly or Rough R. Swamps only S. ; rough with 

 stiff bristles and bristly points, 2° - 6° high ; leaves 3 - 5-cleft and the divisions 

 mostly toothed ; flowers short-peduncled ; leaves of the involucre often forked ; 

 corolla yellow with a purple centre, 4' broad ; pod bristly. 



•1- -I- Exotic low species, in gardens or cultivated grounds. ® 



H. Tribnum, Bladder Kbtmia or Flower-of-an-houe. Rather 

 hairy, 1° - 2° high, with the leaves toothed, or the upper 3-parted into lanceolate 

 lobes, the middle lobe much longest ; calyx inflated and bladdery ; corolla about 

 2' broad, sulphur-yellow' with a blackish eye, open only in midday sunshine. 



* • * Herbs, with calyx splitting down one side, and genercdlij Jailing off at once, 

 and with long or narrow pyramidal or angled pod : natives of Hast Indies. 



H. esculentus, Okra or Gumbo. Nearly smooth, with rounded heart- 

 shaped 5-lobed toothed leaves, greenish-yellow flowers on slender peduncle (invo- 

 lucre falling early), and narrow pods 3' or 4' long, which are very mucilaginous, 

 and when green cooked and eaten, or used to thicken soups : cult. S. (j) 



H. Manihot. Smoothish, with leaves 5 - 7-parted into long narrow divis- 

 ions ; the large and showy corolla pale yellow with a dark eye ; the leaves of 

 the involucre hairy and soon falling off: introduced or cult. S. W. ^ 



15. GOSSTTPIUM, cotton. (Name given by Pliny, from the Arabic. ) 

 Plants now diffused over warm countries, most valuable for the wool on the 

 seeds : ,the species much mixed up. 



G. herb^ceuiu. Common Cotton. Cult. S. Leaves with 5 short and 

 roundish lobes ," petals pale yellow or turning rose-color, purple at base. (T) 



G. Barbadeuse, Barbadoes or Sea-Island C. Cult, on the coast S. 

 Inclining to be shrubby at base ; branches blapk-dotted ; leaves with 5 longer 

 lance-ovate and taper-pointed lobes ; leaves of the involucre with very long and 

 slender teeth ; petals yellowish or whitish with purple base. 



G. arbbreum, Tree C. Cult. S., only for curiosity, has 5-7 nearly 

 lanceolate and taper-ppinted lobes to the leaves, leaves of involucre slightly 

 toothed, and a purple corolla with » darker centre. 



