490 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



Sterculia foetida, S. urens, S. colorata, S. canipanulata, and 

 others, are common trees in India, useful chiefly for their 

 fibrous bark, which is converted into strong ropes, sacks, and 

 clothing. 



Sterculia acerifolia. A tree, native of New South Wales, 

 attaining the height of 60 or 100 feet, and a circumference 

 of from 6 to 8 feet, having smooth, large, lobed leaves, and 

 racemes of showy red flowers, which are produced before the 

 expansion of the leaves, and are so numerous as to give to 

 the tree when seen at a distance the appearance of a flame of 

 fire, whence the name Flame tree (see Flame tree, page 337). 



Plagiantlms hetulinus. A tree, native of New Zealand, at- 

 taining the height of 60 or 70 feet, but more often seen as 

 only a bush. Its fibre is fine and white, like flax, very 

 tough, and is used by the natives for making cords, ropes, 

 and the like. A plant grown at Kew had a stem 3 inches 

 in diameter, which on being cut down exhibited fine layers 

 of white fibre similar to the lace bark of Jamaica. 



Matisia cordata. A tree upwards of 30 feet in height, 

 native of New Granada. It has large heart-shaped leaves, 

 and firm fruit of an oval form, 5 inches in length and 3 

 broad, covered with a silky ash-coloured down, and fleshy in 

 the interior. In taste it is by some compared to an apricot, 

 while others think it more like the mango. It is sold in 

 the markets of New Granada and Peru. It has been intro- 

 duced at Kew, and specimens of the fruit are to be seen in 

 the museum. 



The Mallow Family. 



(Malvace^.) 



Small soft-wooded trees, shrubs, or herbs, with alternate, 

 entire, lobed, palmate, or otherways divided leaves furnished 

 with stipules, the whole plant often covered with stellate 

 hairs. Flowers usually axillary or in spikes, showy, often 

 with double calyx or involucrum. Sepals 3 to 5 or more. 

 Petals 5, twisted in the bud. Stamens numerous, united, 

 forming a tube. Pistils 1 to 3 or more, with rayed stigmas. 



