73 



111— Rheede, Horfc. Mai. vi. tt, 38-42 ; Rumpf, Amb. ix. t, 9 ; 

 Andr. Rep. iv. t. 228 (Var. fl. plena) ; Bot. Reg. t, 589 ; Desc. 

 Ant. iv. t. 270 ; Savi. Fl. Ital. ii. t, 71. 



The changeable Rose Hibiscus ; White Mahoe ; Changing Rose 

 Mallow. 



Native of China ; cultivated in the Botanic Gardens of the 

 Colony. 



The bark yields a strong fibre. Cellulose percentage 72, length 

 of ultimate fibre 1*5 to 2*4 mm. (Tech. Rep. & Sci. Papers, Imp. 

 Inst. 1903, p. 93, q.v. for complete analysis). 



Propagation, from cuttings : grows freely in rich soil ; the 

 plant is very ornamental, and is remarkable for the changes in 

 the colour of the flowers — from white in the morning to red in 

 the evening. 



Hibiscus physaloides, Gulll. et Perr. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 199. 

 ///.—Wood, Nat. PL iv. t. 319. 



Vernac names.— Akese or Ake, Wongo (Yoruba, Higginson). 

 Lagos. 



Yields a fibre described as short and white (Higginson, Herb. 

 Kew). 



Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis, Linn. Sp. PI. p. 694. 



An ornamental shrub ; 6 to 10 feet high. Stem woody, branched, 

 not prickly. Leaves entire at the base, coarsely toothed at the 

 apex. Stipules ensiform. Bracteoles 6, 7, linear, hale the length 

 of the bell-shaped calyx. Sepals f in., lanceolate, connate below 

 the middle. Corolla 3 in. diam., red. Capsule rounded, many 

 seeded (Fl. Brit. Ind. i. p. 344). 



III. — Rheede, Hort. Mai. ii. t. 17 (double flower), vi. t. 43 (single 

 flower). Bot. Mag. t. 158 ; Bot, Reg. t. 1826 ; Gard. Chron. Oct. 

 29th, 1887, p. 529, f. 105. 



Shoe-flower. 



Native of China ; cultivated in the Botanic Gardens, in most 

 private gardens, belonging to Europeans, and in many native 

 gardens of Nigeria. 



In India and China the petals are used to blacken shoes (hence 

 perhaps the English name), and the Chinese also make from them 

 a black dye for darkening their hair and eyebrows. Various 

 medicinal uses are attributed to the flowers and leaves, and the 

 bark is said to yield a good fibre (Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind.). 



Propagation, by cuttings. It is unusual for seeds to ripen under 

 cultivation, but the several handsome varieties show that seeds 

 may ripen under suitable conditions. 



Re/.— Journ. Bomb. Nat, Hist. Soc. 1892-3, pp. 512-515. 



Hibiscus rostellatus, Guill. et Perr. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 201. 

 Vernacname. — Darwaso (Gambia, Bull. Imp. Inst. 19(>7, p. 159), 

 Ebute Metta. 

 Yields a jute-like fibre (Col. Rep. Ann. No. 576, 1908. p. 28). 



