Malvacee—Hrbiscus. 83 
8. HIBISCUS. 
Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves often lobed. Flowers very 
large and showy, variously coloured, usually with a dark- 
coloured spot at the base of each petal. Involucel of many 
(rarely 4 or 5) more or less united bracts. This differs from all 
the preceding genera in the staminal column not being 
antheriferous to the top, and in the 5-celled fruit having more 
than one seed in each cell, and other particulars. Species 
very numerous, chiefly from the tropics. The Latin name for 
a plant of this order. 
1. H. Triénum, syn. H. Africanus.—A hispid branched 
annual, woody at the base. Leaves cordate, palmately lobed, 
lobes linear. Involucel bracts many, bristly. Flowers yellow with 
a purple centre. A very widely distributed plant, occurring in 
Asia, Australia, North and South Africa, and South of Europe. 
Fig 54. Hibiscus roseus, (4 nat. size.) Fig, 55. Hibiscus Syriacus. (} nat. size.) 
2. H. roseus (fig. 54).— This, with its varieties militaris and 
palustris, is a native of North America; but in consequence 
of its having become naturalised in the neighbourhood of 
G2 
