Monadelphia. 
( ^7 ) 
DOUBLE MUTABLE HIBISCUS 
T his is the shrub the Chinese value, at that extream Rate We are 
told j and is, what was firft and originally called, by our People, the 
China Rose, tho’ the double Crimfon was firft feen in Europe; 
The Chinese plant it every where before their Doors, and about their Pa- 
villions 5 they raife it in Pots of their own Porcelain, and nurfe it as our Flo- 
rifts do their Auriculas and Carnations. They give its Figure upon all their or- 
namental Works, Paper, Varnifti, and their peculiar Ware. Every Place, and 
every Thing is full of it among them. 
Thofe who faw the fmall Sprig which came over to me, loaded with three 
Flowefs and as many Buds, varied with fuch a wonderful Elegance of Co- 
louring, could not wonder at the Eftimation wherein thefe People hold it. ’Tis 
certain, we have Nothing that comes near it. The Shape, the Colour, and 
the Dilpofition of the Flower, exceed whatever we are able to raife of any 
Kind : and additionally to this, it is larger than almoft any other Flower. It 
covers the whole Shrub which produces it for many Months in a wonderful Pro- 
fufion ; and it has all the Change of Colour juft nam’d in the fingle Kind. 
The Shrub is fmaller than in that Plant, but yet is of fufficient Stature : 
Nature feems to have been tareful when flie beftowed Rich Elegance upon the 
FldWerSj not to have rais’d them above the Level of the Eyes which fliould be- 
hold them. 
Having the fame happy Opportunity of examining together the fingle and 
double Flower in this, as in the preceding Species, it was not difficult for me 
to difcover the Courfe wherein Nature had proceeded to form the additional Pe- 
tals* It was the fame exa6Hy, as in that. The Body of the Column loft itfelf in 
the double Flower in the Bafes of a vaft Multiplicity of Petals : but as that 
Part in the fingle Bloom of this Species is not long as in the other, the Flowef, 
when double, does not acquire any Thing of that Form; but is as Rofes, and 
other of the large double Flowers nearly globular. 
When the Bud burfts, to let this vaft Flower forth, the .firft Appearance 
fhews it nearly white : ’tis greenihi toward the Bottom, that is, the Edges of 
the feveral Divifions are ting’d a little with that Colour, which ffiews as fingular 
and beautiful irt them, as we fometimes fee it in the. fine Anemones. The Bo- 
dy of the Flower refembles a white and very thin Silk, glofty and wonderfully 
delicate ; and the extream Part, form’d of the Edges of the Petals, has a Line 
of a Straw’s Bread, or fomewhat more of Crimfon. 
As the Flower opens, this Colour fpreads down the feveral Petals, and be- 
comes ftronger, fo that a moderately open’d Flower, is white and red, mix’d 
in an equal Quantity, and forming a moft pleafing Variety. 
From this Time, the Red fpreads farther, and becomes more glowing ; till 
in the laft Stage of all, which borders on Decay, the whole Body of the Flower 
is Crimfon. 
I 
As the Shrub is cover’d thick with Flowers, and ffiews them at .once in 
all thefe Varieties of Colouring, and in athoufand Gradations between, all ele- 
gant, there cannot be conceiv’d in vegetable Nature, a Sight more pleafing, or 
more wonderful. 
Double palmated China Rofe. Vulgo. 
