MALLOW FA MILT. 



67 



are remarkably mucilaginous, aud much esteemed, by many persons, a3 

 a table vegetable, and as an ingredient in soups. 



6. HIBIS'CUS, L. EosE-MALLow. 



[An ancient classical name, for one of the Mallow Family.] 

 Calyx 5-cleft, persistent. Involucel of many linear bractlets. Column of 

 stamens long, ^bearing anthers for much of its length. Styles united; 

 stigmas 5, capitate- Fod 5- celled, opening into 5 valves which bear the 

 partition on their middle. Herbs or shrubs with showy flowers. 



1. H. trio' mm, L. Upper leaves deeply 3-parted, lower ones toothed ; 

 calyx inflated, membranaceous, with bristly-ribs, 5-wiuged at the summit. 

 Three-lobed Hibisccs. Bladder Ketmia. Flower-of-an-hour. 



Annual. Stem 1-2 feet high, branched. Leaves 1 -'3 inches long, the lobes lanceolate, 

 the middle one longest ; peiioled. Flowers greenish yellow with a purple spot at base, 

 axillary, solitary, fugacious ; peduncles about as long as the petioles. Stigmas 5. 



Gardens and lots. Native of South Europe and Africa. July -September. 



Obs. Formerly cultivated in gardens, aud not rare as a weed in cul- 

 tivated grounds. 



2. H. Syri'acus, L. Shrubby or tree-like ; leaves ovate-wedge-shaped, 

 smooth, entire at the base, 3-lobed and toothed at the apex ; pedicels 

 scarcely longer than the petioles ; involucel 6- 7-lobed. 



Syrian Hibiscus. Eose of Sharon. Shrubby Althaea. 



Obs. Very common in cultivation, where it is usually kept trimmed ; 

 when allowed to grow uncut it forms a large tree-like shrub, with long 

 straggling branches. The flowers are of various shades, from white to 

 deep purple ; often becoming double. It is rather troublesome in 

 grounds on account of the readiness with which it propagates itself by 

 the seeds. 



V. GOSSYP'IUM, L. Cotton. 



[A name supposed to be of Egyptian origin ; etymology obscure.] 



Calyx cup-shaped, obtusely 5-toothed, surrounded by a 3-leaved involucel ; 

 the leaflets united and cordate at base, deeply incised-dentate. Styles 

 united ; stigmas 3 or sometimes 5. Capsule 3 - 5 -celled, loculicidal. Seeds 

 numerous, enveloped in a long flne wool. Young branches and leaves more 

 or less covered with black dots ; the nerves beneath usually with one or 

 more glands. 



1. G. herba'ceum, L. Stem smooth ; leaves 3-5-lobed, with a single 

 gland beneath ; lobes rounded, mucronate ; involucel serrate ; wool white. 

 Herbaceous Gossypium. Cotton. Cotton-plant. 

 Fr. Le Cottonnier. Germ. Die Baumwolle. Span. Algodon. 



Root annual. Stem 2-4 feet high, branched. Leaves 3-5 or 6 inches long ; petioles 2-3 

 inches long. Petals greenish yellow, tinged with purple at base. Seeds large, thickly 

 beset with long wool-like cellular or tubular fibres, which, at maturity, are shrunk and 

 contorted so as to render them in some degree adhesive, when pressed together, — and 

 thereby susceptible of being spun or drawn and twisted into delicate threads. 



Cultivated very largely in the Southern and South-western States. Native of Asia. 



