77 
HIBISCUS LINDLEI. 
MR, LINDLEY’s HIBISCUS. 
CLASS. ORDER . 
MONADELPHIA. POLYANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
MALVACEAE. 
Generic Character. — Calyx double, outer one many-leaved. Stamens unlimited in number. Stigmas 
five. Capsule five-celled, many-seeded. 
Specific Character — Stem half-shrubby, rough, and somewhat spiny. Leaves dark-green, shining 
divided into from three to seven parts, each division spear-shaped, with serrated edges, and slightly 
covered with hairs. Flowers axillary and solitary. Calyx covered with stiff white spiny hairs. Corolla 
rich crimson-purple, very showy. 
This very fine species was introduced by Dr. Wallich, in 182.8, to tlie Horticul- 
tural Society Gardens. It is a native of the Burman empire, growing near Ava. 
It is of course a stove plant, growing very freely in a mixture of rich loam and peat, 
or light rich loam alone, rising to a shrub five feet high, and producing a great 
abundance of splendid flowers, which, although of very short continuance, are suc- 
ceeded by others every day during winter and early spring. It is easily propagated 
by cuttings, which may be planted in light rich soil; and if placed under a hand- 
glass, in heat, they will root very freely. All the species are showy, and most of 
them deserve a place in every collection of plants. The general treatment of the 
genus is as follows : All the shrubby stove kinds, as splendens , Rosa Malabarica, 
unidens, racemosus, Jiculoides, &c., thrive best in a mixture of light rich loam 
and peat ; but those which form trees, as the mutabilis , tiliaceus, Rosa sinensis , 
phceniceus, &c., will do better if the peat be wholly omitted, and they be potted in 
rich loam alone. They all strike readily by cuttings planted either in mould or sand, 
under a hand-glass in heat. The stem of the racemosus is thickly covered with hairs, 
which, when pressed by the hand, occasion a prickling or stinging sensation. The 
N. Jiculoides always thrives best if placed on the hottest part of the flue of the 
stove ; and, unlike most other plants requiring hot situations, it does the best when the 
roots are cramped in a very small pot : with this treatment, it will flower with the 
greatest freedom throughout most of the year. The mutabilis should have plenty 
of room allowed for its roots ; if it is convenient, the best way is to turn it out into 
a bed of good loamy soil, when it will soon form a tree from thirteen to twenty feet 
VOL. i . no. IV. 
M 
