P L A T E CCXXVIII.
H I B I S C U S M U T A B I L I S . « r . j k w ^»
Changeahle-Rofc HibijCllS. Double-fiowered Far.
C L A S S XVI. ORDER VI.
MQNADELPIIIA POLYANDRIA. Threads united. Many Chives.
C A L Y X . Periantliitim dúplex.
Exterius polyphyllum, p e r f i í t e n s ; folíolís
l i n e a r i b u s , rarius monophyltum, multífid
u m .
Inlerius motiophyllumj c y a t h i f o r m e , femiq
u i n q u e f i d n m , p e r f i í t e n s ; leu q u i n q u e d e u -
t a t u m , d e c i d u u m.
C O R O L L A . Pétala q u i n q u é , l'ulirotundo-obl¡ing
a , bafi a u g u f t i o r a , p a t e n t i a , tubo ftamili
u m i n f e r n é a d u a t a.
S T A M I N A . Fí l a m e n t a p l u r i m a , i n t e r n e coalita
in t u b u m , f u p e r n e u n flujos ápice et fuperficie)
divifa et l a x a . Antberas r e n i f o r m e s.
P I S T I L L U M . Germen f u b r o t u n d u m . Stylus filíformis.,
t i a m i n i b u s l o n g i o r , fuperne quinq
u e f i d u s . Stigmata c a p i t a t a.
P E R I C A R F I U M . Capfula q u i n q u e l o c u l a r i s , q u i n -
q u e v a l v i s ; d i l l e p i m e n t i s c o n t r a r i i s , d u p l i -
c a t i s .
S E M I N A f o l i t a r i a feu p l u r a , ovato-reniformia.
Obs. Capfula alus ova t a , a l u s l o n g a ; calyx
e x t e r i o r 3 - 1 2 - p h y l l u s.
E M P A L E M E N T . Cup d o u b l e.
The outer many leaved, p e r m a n e n t ; leafl
e t s l i n e a r , more rarely o n e - l e a v e d , manycleft.
The inner one-leaved, cup-Oiaped, h a l f fivec
l e f t , p e r m a n e n t ; or five t o o t h e d , and d e c
i d u o u s .
B L O S S O M . Petals five, r o u n d i l l i - o b l o n g , narr
o w e r at t h e bafe, fpreading, fattened at
b o t t om to t h e t u b e of t h e c h i v e s.
C H I V E S . Threads n u m e r o u s , u n i t e d at t h e bafe
i n t o a t u b e , at top (in its a p e x a n d furface)
d i v i d e d and loofe. Tips k i d n e y - l h a p e d.
P O I N T A L . Seed-bud r o u n d i t h . Shaft threadfhaped,
longer t h a n t h e c h i v e s , at t o p fivec
l e f t . Summits headed.
S E E D - V E S S E L . Capfule five-celled, five-valved;
p a r t i t i o n s c o n t r a r y , doubled.
S E E D S foliiary, or m a n y , b e t w e e n e g g and kidney
Hi a p e d .
Obs, The capfule of fome fpecies is eggfhaped,
of fome long ; the outer cup, 3-
1 2 - l e a v e d .
S P E C I F I C C H A R A C T E E.
H i b i f c u s foliis c o r d a t i s , a n g u l a t i s , q u i n q n e l o b i s,
a c u m i n a t i s , d e n t a t i s ; ealyce e x t e r i o r e oftop
h y l l o ; capfula villofa; caule a r b ó r e o ; fior
i b u s p l e n i s.
H i b i f c u s w i t h h e a r t - f h a p e d leaves, angled, fivel
o b e d , pointed and t o o t h e d ; outer cup
e i g h t - l e a v e d ; capfule h a i r y ; item g r o w i ng
t o a t r e e ; flowers double.
R E F E R E N C E TO T H E P L A T E.
I , T h e d o u b l e c u p w i t h t h e Seed-hud, Shaft, and S u m m i t s in t h e i r place.
'2. T h e T h r e a d s cut a n d fpread o p e n , w i t h thofe w h i c h a r e perfect a n d h a v e t h e t i p s , r e m a i n i n g ; thofe
w h i c h give t h e p l a n t t h e d o u b l e flowered character b r i n g c u t a w a y ; one t i p d e t a c h e d and magnified.
3 . T h e S e e d - b u d , cut t r a n f v e r f e l y to fliew t h e / p e r f e c t feeds i n t h e i r cells.
B A B W A B D D I C K I N S O N , Efq. of M o n k s - H o u f e , near Devifes, W i l t s , wc believe to l>e, at prefent, the
only polleflor, i n B r i t a i n , of this fine v a r i e t y of Hibifcus m n t a b i l i s . T h e plants w e r e p r o d u c e d in 1 7 S S ,
f r om fome J a m a i c a feeds, w h i c h w e r e town at Bowden, a n o t h e r a d j o i n i n g feat of t h a t g e n t l e m a n , and
w h e r e t h e y h a v e flowered for feveral y e a r s . Although t h e flowers are d o u b l e ; yet good feeds are p r o d
u c e d , w h i c h is c o m m o n to molt p l a n t s of this n a t u r a l o r d e r , fucli as Alcea Malva. ftc, t h e fullncfs of
t h r b l o l t o m s b e i n g , as ufual, formed f r om fome of t h e chives b e c o m i n g petals, many n e v e r t h e l e l s rem
a i n i n g p e r f e c t ; which in t h f f e p l a n t s Itand p a r t i c u l a r l y di (Unfit f r om t h e p o i n t a l , being feated on t he
u p p e r p a r t of t h e t u b e , tormed by t h e c o n n e c t i o n of t h e lower p a n of t h e t h r e a d s , leaving t h e p o i n t al
as p e r i o d as i n a Angle flower. It is alfo p r o p a g a t e d by c u t t i n g , a n d thrive* in rich e a r t h . It may he
c o n i i d c r c d r a t h e r a tree, t h a n I h r u b , as even in t h i s c o u n t r y , it a c q u i r e s t h e h e i g h t of from 1 5 t<> 2 0
f e e t . It i s a n a t i v e of J a p a n , C h i n a , and t h e Eaft I n d i e s ; w h e r e it is m u c h efiVcmed for t h e e x t r e me
b e a u t y of its flowers, as well as in o u r W e l l I n d i a i l l a n d s , w h e r e it is also c u l t i v a t e d . The S i n g l e -
flowered has been k n o w n in Kngland above a c e n t u r y , having, fays the K e w C a t a l o g u e , been i n t r o d
u c e d by M r . B e u l i n c k in the year 10"p,(>, T h e fpeeifie t i t l e is a i f u m e d on the l i n g u l a r change of t he
flower, from w h i t e to fleih colour, before its decay, as I h e w n in o u r f i g u r e ; which was taken from a
l i n e b r a n c h r e c e i v e d in a perfect l t a t e from Bowden in t h e m o n t h of N o v e m b e r 1 8 0 1 , a n d o b l i g i n g ly
c o m m u n i c a t e d , to t h e a u t h o r , by M r s . D i c k i n f o n.