260 ORDER XXXIII. MALVACEAE. 



2. S. Elliott'ii, (T. <fe G.) Stem slender, herbaceous, nearly glabrous 

 with spreading branches. Leaves linear, serrate, varying in width, ob- 

 tuse at the base, nearly glabrous. Flowers axillary. Segments of the 

 calyx broad. Petals emarginate, striate, expanding. Styles many-cleft. 

 Carpels 10, united into a spherical head, glabrous. — Yellow. If. 

 Aug. — Sept. On the coast of Car. and Geo. 2 — 4 feet. Sida glaber. 



3. S. his pida, (Pursh.) Stem branching, stellular tomentose. Leaves 

 lanceolate, serrate, slightly hairy on both surfaces. Flowers on small 

 axillary branches, crowded, and nearly sessile. Calyx angular, hairy. 

 Petals rather longer than the calyx. — Yellow. IX. July — Aug. 

 Sandy soils. 



4. S. rhombifo'lia, (L.) Stem suffructicose, branching, stellular pu- 

 bescent. Leaves in alternate clusters, hairy on the upper surface. 

 Flowers axillary and usually solitary, on peduncles much longer than 

 the petioles. Carpels 10 — 12, with 2 subulate horns. Petals obovate. 

 Calyx angular ; segments very broad, acuminate. — Yellow. IX. July 

 — Sept. Dry pastures. 1 — 2 feet 



5. S. gla'bra, (Nutt.) Stem glabrous or minutely pubescent. Leaves 

 linear, oblong, and lanceolate, incisely and unequally serrate. Flowers 

 axillary, crowded. Calyx wide, plaited. Varying very greatly in size, 

 from a few inches to two feet. — Yellow. 0. Florida. 



Genus VIII.— HIBIS'CUS. L. 15—12. 

 (From Mbiscos, one of the names for Mallow.) 



Calyx consisting of 5 sepals, united at the base with a 5- 

 toothed summit, surrounded by a many-leaved involucel, usu- 

 ally distinct. Petals 5. Stigmas 5. Capsules 5-valved, 5- 

 celled, many-seeded ; dehiscence loculicidal. 



1. H. Moscheu'tos, (L.) Stem suffructicose, erect, slightly tomentose, 

 branching. Leaves ovate, serrate, acuminate, often with 3 acuminate 

 lobes, tomentose underneath. Flowers axillary, attached by a long pu- 

 bescent peduncle to the base of the petiole. Calyx persistent, pubes- 

 cent; involucel 1 — 5-leaved, subulate, acute. Petals obovate, ret use. 

 Styles exserted. Capsule ovate. — White, rose-color, crimson at the cen- 

 ter. IX. Aug. — Sept. Margins of ponds. 3 — 5 feet. 



2. H. Virgin'icus, (L.) Stem and leaves tomentose. Leaves -cordate- 

 ovate, acuminate, those on the middle of the stem 3-lobed. Flowers in 



f paniculate racemes, nodding. Calyx tomentose, the involucel 8 or 9 

 eaved, subulate. Petals fringed and hairy on the outer surface. Cap 

 sules hispid, with acute angles. — Rose-color. 21. July — Sept. In 

 wet soils. 2 — 4 feet. 



3. H. aculea'tus, (Walt.) Whole plant very scabrous, with minute 

 recurved prickles. Leaves, the lower ones cordate and angular, upper 

 ones pahnately 3 — 5-lobed, the lobes obovate, dentate. Flowers axil- 

 lary, at the upper parts of the branches. Calyx hispid, 5-lobed, each 

 segment 3-ribbed. Petals hairy on the outer surface. Capsule hairy. 



—Yellow. If. June — Sept. In wet places. 3 — G feet. 



4. H. inca'nus, (Wend.) Stem tall, minutely tomentose. Leaves 

 ovate, acuminate, obtusely serrate, tomentose on both surfaces. Flow' 

 ers very large, axillary, solitary, on peduncles jointed near the middle, 



