S I D 
9. Sid a {Alba) foliis cordatis acurninatis ferratis ner- 
vofis, fioribus aggregates axillaribus feffilibus. Sida 
with acute-pointed , heart-Jhaped , flawed, veined leaves , 
and flowers in clufters fitting clofe to the wings of the fltalk. 
Malvinda foliis fubrotundis acurninatis, fioribus albis 
conglomerate ad foliorum alas. Houft. MSS. Indian 
Mallow with roundiflo acute-pointed leaves , and white 
flowers in clufters at the wings of the leaves. 
Thefe plants grow naturally in the Weft-Indies, from 
whence I have received the feeds of three or four fpe- 
cies by the title of Broom Weed ; and I have been 
informed that the inhabitants cut thefe plants in the 
fame manner as we do Heath, and make it up into 
brooms for fweeping. Sometimes I have received the 
feeds by the title of Weft-India Thea, fo that I fup- 
pofe the leaves of thefe plants are fometimes ufed as 
the Thea. There are certainly more fpecies of this 
genus than are here mentioned, which have efcaped 
the notice of thofe who have been in the Weft-Indies 
in fearch for plants, for we frequently have new forts 
come up in the earth which is brought from thence 
with other plants. Thofe here enumerated are un- 
doubtedly diftinhl fpecies, for I have cultivated them 
feveral years, and have never obferved either of them 
change, when raifed from feeds. 
The firft fort grows as far north as Virginia, from 
whence I have feveral times received the feeds ; this 
grows with an upright branching ftalk three or four 
feet high, garnifhed with oval fpear-fhaped leaves, 
about two inches long and one broad, fawed on their 
edges, and fit clofe to the branches. The flowers 
come out fingly from the wings of the ftalks, hand- 
ing upon very fhort foot-ftalks ; they have a Angle 
empalement, cut into five obtufe fegments, and are 
fmall, of a pale copper colour, and of one petal, 
which is cut into five parts almoft to the bottom, 
where they are joined. In the center arifes a fmall 
column compofed of the feveral ftamina and ftyle 
which are conne&ed together at bottom, but are fepa- 
rated above. When the flowers decay, the germen 
turns to a capfule with five cells inclofed by the em- 
palement ; in each cell is contained one angular feed, 
gibbous on one fide, having two horns or teeth at 
the point. This plant flowers till the froft flops it, 
and the feeds ripen in autumn. 
The fecond has hairy branching ftalks which rife near 
three feet high. The branches of this come out 
from the bottom almoft to the top, and form a py- 
ramidal bufh ; the leaves are longer and narrower, 
the faw on the edges deeper, of a brighter green 
than thofe of the former, and ftand upon fhort foot- 
ftalks ; the flowers come out at the foot-ftalks of eve- 
ry leaf; they are Angle toward the bottom of the 
ftalk, but upward they are in clufters ; the empale- 
ment of the flower is in five angles, each being ter- 
minated by a briftly hair ; the flowers are of a pale 
fulphur colour, and the feeds have but one horn or 
tooth. It flowers at the fame time with the former. 
The third fort rifes with a {lender ligneous ftalk about 
two feet high, fending out many ered branches, which 
are garnifhed with narrow fpear-fhaped leaves an inch 
and a half long, and a third broad in the middle ; 
they are indented on their edges, and end in acute 
points, having pretty long {lender foot-ftalks. The 
flowers come out fingly from the wings of the ftalks ; 
they are fmall, of a pale yellow colour, and appear 
at the fame time with the former. 
The fourth fort has very {lender ftalks, which fel- 
dom rife much more than a foot high, fending out a 
few {lender branches, garnifhed with fmall heart- 
fhaped leaves which are fawed on their edges, and 
are a little hoary on their under fide. Handing upon 
pretty long foot-ftalks. The flowers are fmall, of a 
pale yeliowifh colour, and come out fingly from the 
wings of the ftalk ; thefe are fucceeded by feeds hav- 
ing two teeth. It flowers at the fame time with the 
former. 
The fifth fort has a hairy ftalk covered with a dark 
brown bark, and rifes three feet high, fending out 
many branches from the fide, which are garnifhed 
SID' 
with oval fpear-fhaped leaves Handing upon long foot- 
ftalks ; they are more than two inches long, and one 
and a quarter broad, ending' in an obtufe point, and 
are deeply fawed on their edges. The flowers come 
out by pairs at the foct-ftalk of each leaf, fitting clofe 
to the ftalk; they are larger than thofe of the former 
forts, and of a deeper yellow colour ; the feeds of this 
are larger, and have three teeth. 
The fixth fort rifes with a ligneous hairy ftalk between 
three and four feet high, fending out a few {lender 
branches toward the top. The leaves are a little 
woolly, and fit clofe to the ftalk ; they are near two 
inches long, and one broad near their bafe, being al- 
moft heart-fhaped ; they are veined, and fawed on 
their edges. The flowers come out in clufters on the 
fide of the branches, to which they fit very clofe ; 
they have hairy ernpalements, cut into acute fegments 
at the top ; they are fmall, of a pale yellow colour, 
and appear at the fame time with the former, and the 
feeds have two teeth. 
The feventh fort has a {lender ligneous ftalk which 
rifes more than two feet high, fending out feveral {len- 
der branches garniftied with roundifh leaves having 
long foot-ftalks, and are a little hairy on their under 
fide. The flowers come out at the foot-ftalks of the 
leaves, fometimes ftngly, and at others there are two 
or three upon {lender foot-ftalks ; they are of a pale 
copper colour, and appear at the fame time with the 
former. 
The eighth fort rifes with an herbaceous ftalk more 
than three feet high, fending out feveral ereft 
branches from the fides, which are garniftied with, 
heart-fhaped leaves two inches and a half long, and 
two broad ; they are fawed on their edges, are of 
a light green colour, foft to the touch, and ftand 
upon very long foot-ftalks which are hairy. The 
flowers ftand upon long foot-ftalks which come out 
from the wings of the ftalk ; they are fmall, of a 
fulphur colour, and appear at the fame time with 
the former. 
The ninth fort has very {lender ftiff ftalks, which are 
covered with fine hairs, and rife a foot and a half high, 
fending out a few fide branches, which are garniftied 
with roundifli heart-fhaped leaves two inches long, 
and one inch and three quarters broad at the bafe ; 
they are thin, of a light green colour, crenated on 
their edges, and ftand upon long, {lender, hairy foot- 
ftalks. The flowers come out upon long foot-ftalks 
from the wings of the ftalks fingly; their ernpalements 
terminate with ten ftiff acute points or hairs ; the flow- 
ers are fmall and white, appearing at the fame time 
with the former. 
The tenth fort rifes with an herbaceous prickly ftalk 
near four feet high, fending out feveral branches, 
which are garniftied with rough hairy leaves {landing 
upon long foot-ftalks. Thefe are of different forms, 
fome are divided into five obtufe lobes, others into 
three, fome are hollowed on the fides in fhape of a 
fiddle ; they are indented on their edges, and are of 
a pale green colour. The flowers are colledled in 
heads, which ftand upon very long hairy foot-ftalks 
arifing from the wings of the ftalks. Under each 
head are placed three obtufe fmall leaves, upon which 
reft feven pale yellow flowers which are fmall, and are 
almoft hid by their ernpalements ; thefe are fucceeded 
by feeds having acute {pines. This flowers at the fame 
time as the former. 
The eleventh fort rifes with a ligneous ftalk three feet 
high, which is covered with yeliowifh hairs very clofely 
garniftied with fpear-fhaped hairy leaves fitting clofe to 
the ftalks ; they are two inches long, and one broad 
in the middle, fawed on their edges and of a pale green 
on their under fide. The flowers come out fingly 
from the wings of the ftalk, {landing upon ihort foot-; 
ftalks ; they are fmall, white, and appear about the 
fame time with the former. 
The twelfth fort rifes with very {lender infirm ftalks 
three feet high, covered with long white hairs, and 
garniftied with foft, woolly, heart-ffiaped leaves, fit- 
ting upon long, {lender, hairy foot-ftalks. The 
1 2 K leaves 
