Thbspesia.] MALVACE^. 93 



15. H. esculentus, Linn, Sp. PI. 696; F, B. I.i, 348; DQ. L'Orig, 

 Pl. Quit. 150; Field <^ Gard. Crops, Hi, 29, t. Ixxxvi; Watt E. D. 

 H.loTigiiolhiejBoxb. Fl.Ind. Hi, 210 ; Boyle, III. 84. Ahelmosdima escu- 

 lentus, W, ^ A. Prod. 53. Vern. Bhindi, ramturai. (Okro.) 

 A tall annual, covered with brittle hairs, not prickly. Leaves 8-12 in. 

 long, 3-5-lobed, cordate ; lobes lanceolate-oblong, coarsely toothed, sca- 

 brous ; 'petiole about as long as the blade, often tinged with red ; stipules 

 subulate. Peduncles short and stout, shorter than the petioles. Brac- 

 teoles 8-10, linear-subulate, equalling the calyx, deciduous. Flowers large, 

 yellow with a crimson centre. Capsule 6-10 in. long, pyramidal-oblong, 

 acute, smooth or hairy. Seeds round, striate, smooth or hairy. 



Cultivated all over India as a garden crop. The unripe mucilaginous 

 capsules form a favourite vegetable for both natives and Europeans. 

 They are also used as a pickle. The seeds alone are also eaten. The 

 strong white silky fibre has been found very suitable for the manvif acture 

 of paper. The capsules and seeds are used medicinally. The plant is 

 regarded as a native of Africa. 



12. THESPESIA, Corr. ; PI. Brit. Ind. i. 345. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves lobed or not. Inflorescence axillary. 

 Bracteoles 5, arising from the thickened end of the peduncle, decid- 

 uous. Calyx truncate, minutely 5 -toothed or -parted. Corolla 

 convolute. -iSifammaiJ-tube 5-toothed at the apex. Otjar^/ 4-5-celled ; 

 styles completely connate ; stigma club-shaped ; ovules few in each 

 cell. Capsule loculicidal or scarcely dehiscent. Seeds glabrous or 

 hairy. — About 8 species, all tropical. 



T, p(ypulnea, Soland., a small tree, inhabiting the sea-coasts of India 

 and other tropical countries, is occasionally found in gardens, and as a 

 roadside tree! within the area. From the shape of the flowers it is some- 

 times known by the name of the ' Tulip- tree.' For an account of its use- 

 ful properties see Watt's Dictionary. 



T. macrophylla. Bl. Bijdr. 73; T. Lampas, Dalz. Si" Gihs. Bomh. Fl' 

 19 ; F. B. I. i, 345; Brand. For. Fl. 572 ; Watt E. D. Hibiscus Lampas, 

 Cav.; Boxh. Fl. Ind. Hi, 197; W. <f- A. Prod. 48; Boyle III. 83. H. tetra- 

 locularis, Boxh. I. c. 198. Vern. Bavilapasi. 



A shrub or small tree. Herbaceous portions covered with brown 

 stellate down. Leaves 3-5 in. in diam. more or less palmately lobed, 

 cordate at the base, sparingly stellate-pilose above, densely stellate- 

 tomentose beneath ; midrib with a glandular pore at the base beneath j 

 lobes 3, spreading, acuminate; p etilo I e shorter than the blade ; stipules 

 subulate, caducous. Pedunclei 3-flowered, axillary or terminal. Bracteoles 

 5, small, subulate, deciduous. Calyx connate below, with 5 distant 

 teeth on the truncate margin. Corolla large, campanulate, convolute, 

 yellow with a crimson centre. Capsule 1 in. long, ovate, pointed, 5-rarely 

 4-valved, valves hispid. Seeds glabrescent. 



