92 MALVACEM. [Hibiscus^ 



Gwalior, Bundelkhand, Merwara. Distbib. : Punjab and Bengal to S. 

 India and Ceylon. The stems yield a long glossy white strong fibre'^ 

 useful for twine and light cordage. The seeds are often put into sweet- 

 meats. 



12. H. pungens, Uoxh. Hort. Beng. 50; Fl. Ind. Hi, 213 ; F.B.I. {, 341. 



An erect bristly herb. Branches with scattered black dots. Leaves 5-S 

 in., roundish, cordate, palmately 7-lobed, lobes linear-lanceolate, accu- 

 minate, deeply serrate, upper 3-lobed; petiole longer than the blade; 

 stipules broadly lanceolate, the upper ones linear. Flowers drooping. 

 PedttncZes 1-2 in. long, racemose. BrctcteoZes 4-5, oblong-lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, as long as the capsule, persistent, _ accrescent. Corolla 5 in. 

 across, yellow with purple centre. Capsule f in. long, slender, acuminate, 

 longer than the calyx, hispid. 



Dehra Dun, Bundelkhand. Disteib. : Trop. Himalaya from the Punjab to 

 Sikkim, 2-5,000 ft. ; also on the Khasia Hills, aud in the Chanda dist.,. 

 C. ProT. (Duthie). Flowers in the rainy season. 



13. H, Abelmoschus, Linn. Sp. PI. 696 ; Boxh. Fl. Ind. Hi, 202 r 

 F. B. I. i, 842 ; Watt E. D. Abelmoschus moschatus, Mcench ; W. & A 

 Trod. 53; Boyle III. 84. Vern. Muskh-ddna (Musk Mallow). 



A slightly branched hispid annual, '2-3 ft. high. Leaves ovate, cordate, or 

 more usually palmately divided into 3-7 oblong-lanceolate acute or 

 acuminate spreading lobes, coarsely toothed, hairy on both surfaces ; 

 petiole usually longer than the blade, with long deflexed hairs ; stipules - 

 small, subulate. Flowers S-it in. across, bright yellow with a purple or 

 crimson centre, solitary, often appearing to be terminal. Peduncles atout, 

 equalling the petiole, curved, much thickened below the flower. Brac- 

 teoles 6-12, linear, distinct, hispid, much shorter than the calyx. Sepals 

 completely connate save at their points, split down on one side. Cap- 

 sule 2^-3 in. ovate, acute, hispid, longer thanithe bracteoles. Seeds reni- 

 form, musky. 



Dehra Dun. Disteib. : Hotter parts of India from the base of the 

 Himalaya. Cultivated in most tropical countries. Yields a strong fibre.. 

 The root, leaves, and the musk-scented seeds areused medicinally, and 

 the leaves are sometimes employed in Upper India for clarifying sugar. 



13. H. cancellatus, Roxh. Hort. Beng. 51; Fl. Ind. Hi, 201 : F. B. I. i, 



342. 



An erect bristly annual, 2-3 ft. high. Leaves 4-6 in. long, rounded or 

 obtusely 5-angled, crenate, very hairy; upper sagittate; stipules linear, 

 hairy. Peduncles much shorter than the petiole, racemose at the ends of 

 the branches, each with 2 subulate bracts at the base. Bracteoles 10-18, 

 about U in. long, linear, setaceous, incurved, hispid. Flowers 4-5 in. 

 across, drooping, yellow with a purple or crimson centre. Capsule equal- 

 ling the bracteoles, ovoid, furrowed, very hairy. Seeds many, reniform, 

 black. 



Dehra Dun, Bundelkhand. Disteib. : Along the base of the Himalaya 

 from the Punjab to Nepal, ascending to 4,000 ft. ; also in Chota Nagpur 

 and in Pegu. 



