MALVACE2E. 59 



1. H. Moscheutos, L. Marsh Hihiscus. 



Herbaceous, simple, erect; leaves ovate, pointed, toothed, the lower 3-lobcd, 

 wbitish-tomentose beneath, somewhat scabrous-pubescent above; peduncles and 

 petioles often united ; calyx tomentose. 



Borders of marshes, near Harrisburg; Aug. Per. Stem 3 to 6 feet high, stout. 

 Leaves 4 to 6 by 3 to 4 inches, often with 2 lateral lobes. Flowers large, 5 inches 

 in diameter, pale rose-purple, or white with a crimson centre. Showy. 



2. H. militaris, Willd. Halbert-leavcd Hibiscus. 



Smooth; lower leaves ovate-heart-shaped, toothed, 3-lobed; upper leaves halbcrt- 

 forim, the short lateral lobes approaching at the base, the middle one prolonged and 

 acuminate; peduncles slender: fruiting calyx inflated; seeds hairy. 



River banks. Aug. Per. Stem 3 to 4 feet high. Flowers pale rose-colored, with 

 a purplish centre 3 to 4 inches in diameter. 



Cultivated for ornament. 



3. H. Syriacus. Syrian Hibis: i 



Leaves cuneaform, ovate, 3-lobed, del Is scarcely longer than the petL 



oles; involved about 8-leaved. A beautiful, hardy, free-flowering shrub from Syria, 

 5 to 10 feet high. Flowers in the different varieties purple, red, white and striped, 

 both single and double. July. Sometimes erroneously called "Rose of Sharon." 



4 . II . trion u m . Flo wei ■ of a n J, 



Somewhat hairy; upp r leaves deeply 3-parted, with lanceolate division?, the mid- 

 dle one much the 1( r leaves undivided, dentate ; cah-x inflated, membra, 

 naccous, with i, 5-winged at the summit; seeds rough. Annual. Native 

 of Italy. Stem 1 to 2 feet high. Flowers numerous but soon withering. Petals of 

 a rich chlorine yellow, the base deep brown, one variety has flowers 2 inche3 in 

 diameter, continuing expanded nearly all day. 



5. II. COCCINEUS, Walt. Scarlet Hibiscus. 



Very smooth; leaves palmate, 5-parted; lobes lanceolate, acuminate, remotely 

 serrate alone ; corolla expanding; capsule ovoid, smooth. A Row ef , native 



of Georgia, someth.i in our gardens. EoA perennial. Stem herbaceous, 



5 to 9 feet high. Flowers of a bright carmine red. Fetals slender at the base, 4 to 

 5 inches long. Column still longer, slender and terete. July — Oct. 



G. H. Manihot, L. Hand-leaved Hibiscus. 



Leaves palmatcly divided into 5 to 7 broad-linear, acuminate, scarcely dentato 

 lobes ; peduncles a i hispid; involuc.l bracts 5 to 7, ovate or lanceolate, 



acutish, persistent, entire ; c dyx split on one side; capsule densely hirsute, acumi- 

 nate. Native of the Western States. A beautiful perennial plant, 3 to 5 feet high. 

 Zeroes cordate, the loles 5 to 10 inches long, }/, to 1}^ wide, separated to near tho 

 base, about as long as the petiole st near the summit. Flowers sulpher- 



ycllow, purple in tho centre. Petals 2 to 4 inches long. July, Aug. Per. 



4. ABUTILON. Tourn. Indian Mallow. 



Calyx 5-cleft, without an invblucel, often angular. 

 Styles 5 to 15. Carpels 5 to 15 arranged circularly, co- 

 herent, spreading at the summit, where each splits open along 

 the inner edge. Seeds about 3 in each carpel. — Flowers in 

 the axils of the heart-shaped leaves. 



