Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

DESCR. Stem ovoid or subcylindric, five to seven inches
high, and three to four inches in diameter, pale green,
simple, rarely branched at the base. Bibs nine to twelve,
erect or slightly twisted, half an inch deep, obtuse, inter-
ruptedly tubercled. Aréoles at base of the spines orbicular,
tomentose when young. Spines bulbous at the base, the
radial seven to ten, straight or curved, the lower stronger,
the lowest four-angled white ; the rest whitish or variegated
with brown, the upper more slender and pale, the upper-
most long curved or wanting ; the central one to one and a
half inches long, bulbous at the base, brown, terete or
wanting. Flowers large, purple, suberect, three inches in
diameter. Calyx-tube short, together with the ovary, one-
half to one inch long, both bearing cushions covered with
twenty-five to thirty-five short spines with sometimes a few
brown ones intermixed. Inner sepals twelve to fifteen,
linear-lanceolate or spathulate, acute or cuspidate. Petals
sixteen to twenty-four, linear-oblong or obovate-spathulate,
acute or obtuse, close. Stigmas twelve to sixteen, large,
green, rather larger than the stamens. Berry ovoid-globose,
purplish, edible, with eighteen to twenty spinous cushions.
Seeds obliquely obovoid, tubercled; embryo slightly curved.
Fig. 1, Vertical section of base of perianth and ovary, of the natural size;
2, ovules, enlarged.