34 Hibiscus speciosuSi
R oot perennial. Whole plant invested with a tine glaucous covering,
easily rubbed off. Stem herbaceous, erect, from six to nine feet
high, branched, perfectly cylindrical and smooth, purplish on one
side, yellow on the other, and when the glaucous covering is rubbed
off, conspicuously maculated with longitudinal yellow spots. Branches
numerous, from twenty to thirty, each proceeding from the axill
of a large cauline leaf, very round, purplish, alternate, two and a
half feet long, gradually becoming shorter towards the top, giving a
pyramidal appearance in the outline. Each branch terminates in
three (rarely four) separately pedunculated flowers. Peduncles terete,
smooth, purplish, the younger ones yellow. Leaves smooth, deeply
palmate, or five-parted; the divisions unequal, the two exterior ones
being shortest. Each segment lanceolate, deeply serrated in the middle,
and entire towards the apex, which is a prolonged acumination.
Flowers large, petals spathulate, plicated, clawed, and of a rich shining
carmine-red, claws three-fourths of an inch long, very shining, carmine
red above, invested on either margin and under side with
white pubescence. Stamens numerous, with short filaments, stigmas
five, all deep carmine-red. Anthers yellow, or appearing so from the
colour of the pollen. Calix smooth, the exterior segments curled
inwards, tinged with purple, ten in number, rarely more. A native
of South Carolina and Florida, inhabiting the banks of rivers and
flowering in August and September.
The generic term Hibiscus is from a Greek word of unknown
derivation, for the of Theophrastus, which is conjecHibiscus
speciosus. 35
tured to be the marsh mallow, (Alhsea officinalis) or something very
like it. It designates a tribe of tropical malvaceous plants, consisting
of about 7 0 species, indigenous for the most part to South America,
India and its islands. Scarcely any are found native to Europe.
The Cape of Good Hope and Persia have some species, and about
ten more inhabit North America, none of which however are arborescent
as some of the tropical ones are. Of the North American
species the gorgeous plant here figured is certainly the most showy.
Though indigenous to the southern section of our country, yet a
northern climate is not incompatible with its health and vigour. It
is found, in a state of cultivation, in the open borders of some of our
gardens, where it flourishes and matures seed; and even in England,
where it is a favourite plant, it is nearly hardy. The specimen from
which the drawing was made, was taken from a plant which flourished
in an open border in the garden of the Danish minister in this
city, where it had endured the preceding winter without any care.
In that situation, presenting favourably to the sun, it attained a height
of full nine feet, bearing a profusion of flowers; and it had arrived
at this maturity in a period of four months from its first appearance
above ground.
This species continues to bloom a considerable while; the cauline
flowers first appearing, and afterwards those on the branches successively,
until frost. This circumstance, together with its stature,
render it very ornamental to gardens; hence it should be preferred to
the common and less beautiful plants so much cultivated and gene