46 



HIBISCUS SPLENDENS. 



{Splendid Hybiscus.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. MALVACE2E. — (JuSS. IAndl. Nat. SySt. Bot. p. 95.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 

 Hibiscus (Linn.) Calyx cinctus involucello ssepius polyphyllo, rarius foliolis paucis aut 

 inter se coalitis. Petala hinc non auriculata. Stigmata 5. Carpella in capsulam 5-locularem 

 coalita, valvis intus medio septiferis, loculis polyspermis aut rarius 1-spermis.— Be Cand. Prod. 

 vol. 1, p. 446. 



Calyx surrounded by an involucellum, which is most frequently many -leaved, rarely few- 

 leaved, or connected with each other. Petals not auricled. Stigmas 5. Carpels united into a 

 5-celled capsule, the valves bearing a septum in the middle. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



H. splendens ; mule aculeato ramoso arborescente incano ; foliis palmatis 3-5-lobis velutinis, 

 petiolo costaque aculeatis ; involucello 15-fido, laciniis lineari-subulatis hispidis. 



Descb. — Stem prickly, branched, arboreous, hoary ; leaves palmate, from 3 to 5-lobed, 

 velvety, petiole and ribs prickly ; involucellum 15-cleft, leaflets linear-awl-shaped, covered with 

 rigid hairs. — Graham. Edinb.- Phil. Journ. p. 175. Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 3025. IAndl. Bot. 

 Reg. t. 1629. 



This magnificent plant was first introduced to this country from New 

 Holland by Mr. Frazer, about the year 1828, and was first described by Dr. 

 Graham from a specimen that flowered in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. The 

 learned Professor, speaking of its great beauty, quotes the following passage from 

 one of Mr. Frazer's letters :— " This I consider the king of all the known Austra- 

 lian plants. I have seen it 22£ feet high ; the flowers this year measured nine 

 inches across ; they were of the most delicate pink and crimson colour, and 

 literally covered the entire plant.-"' To such a plant it must be admitted that the 

 specific name, splendens, has been most appropriately applied ; indeed, we could 

 almost imagine the possibility of the enthusiastic botanist making a voyage to its 

 native country for the sake of seeing it in all its glory. 



Our drawing was made from a plant in the collection of W. H. Osborn, Esq., 

 of Perry Barr, near Birmingham, with whom it flowered very finely last summer, 



