Plagianthus. | ! MALVACEAE. 561 
to the inner angle. Fruit either of dry indehiscent or dehiscent cocci, or 
a capsule with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds reniform or obovoid ; albumen 
scanty or wanting; embryo often curved, cotyledons broad, foliaceous. 
A large tropical and subtropical family, less common in temperate regions, and 
not extending either far north or south. Genera about 37; species about 700. Most 
of the species possess mucilaginous properties, and all are quite innocuous. Many are 
cultivated for ornament, and one genus (Gossypium) for the woolly covering which 
surrounds its seeds, and which constitutes the cotton of commerce. Of the 4 folowing 
genera, Hoheria is endemic; Plagianthus is found in Australia, and Gaya in South 
America; while Hibiscus is universal in warm countries. 
A, Staminal column bearing anthers at the top. Carpels closely united in a ring around 
a central axis, from which they fall away when ripe (Malveae). 
Flowers more or less unisexual. Styles with linear decurrent stigmas. 
Carpels usually solitary in the New Zealand species ze .. 1, PLAGIANTHUS. 
Flowers perfect. Stigmas capitate. Carpels several, indehiscent, 
winged at the back u 53 Me yi .. 2. HOHERTA, 
Flowers perfect. Stigmas capitate. Carpels many, 2-valved, not 
winged... oe Le s oe Ae +. oe UO AYA 
B. Staminal column bearing anthers at the side, naked and 5-toothed at the top. Carpels 
united into a capsule, dehiscing loculicidally (Hibisceae). 
Bracteoles 5 to many. Capsule 5-celled, many-seeded 5 .. 4, Hipiscus. | 
1. PLAGIANTHUS Forst. *77&. 
Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs. Leaves entire or lobed or serrate. 
Flowers usually smail, hermaphrodite or unisexual, in axillary or terminal 
fascicles or panicles, or solitary. Bracteoles wanting, or small and distant 
from the calyx. Calyx 5-toothed or 5-fid. Staminal column split at the 
top into numerous filaments. Ovary 1-celled or 2-5-celled; ovules 1 in 
each cell; styles as many as the cells, clavate flattened or filiform, stigmatic 
along the inner side. Fruit of one or several carpels seceding from a 
common axis, indehiscent or splitting irregularly. Seed solitary, pendulous. 
A small genus of about 12 species, confined to Australia and New Zealand, the 
species found in each country being endemic. . The New Zealand species are practically 
dioecious, although a few hermaphrodite or female flowers are occasionally mixed with 
the males. 
(Plagianthus Lyallii Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. FI. (1864) 30 is now referred to Gaya. 
P. linariifolia Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi (1884) 394, t. 34, is Coprosma Kirkia 
Cheesem. ) 
Shrub, much branched. Leaves small, linear, entire. Flowers 
solitary or fascicled. . a a me 2 .. IL, P. divaricatus. 
Small tree. Leaves linear-oblong, toothed. Flowers in few-flowered 
cymes ea me Ae a a 
Tree, 30-60 ft. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate. Flowers 
numerous, in decompound panicles... x Os .. o& P. betulinus. 
2. P. cymosus. 
1. P. divarieatus Forst. Char. Gen. (1776) 86.— A glabrous much- 
branched shrub 4-8 ft. high; branches tough, slender, divaricating, often 
much interlaced. Leaves alternate or fascicled on short lateral branchlets ; 
of young plants 1 in. long, linear-oblong, narrowed into rather long petioles, 
entire or sinuate ; of mature plants }-?in., narrow-linear or narrow linear- 
obovate, coriaceous, obtuse, quite entire, l-nerved. Flowers very small, 
generally unisexual, yellowish-white, solitary or fascicled, axillary ; peduncles 
shorter than the leaves. Calyx hemispherical, 5-tocthed. Petals small, 
