Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

I have retained the well-known and hitherto universally
adopted name for this plant, though it can hardly be
doubted that one of the earlier ones of Lagasca (flexuosum
and aciitangulum), published in 1814, is of earlier date.
The descriptions, however, of Lagasca are very unsatisfac-
tory, and he made two species out of the one. The
Royal Gardens are indebted to Mr. Joad, F.L.S., of
Wimbledon, for plants which flowered profusely during the
month of August.
DESCE. A tall, very slender, much-branched diffuse or
erect glabrous herb, a foot to a yard high ; branches strict,
acutely angled, leafy throughout. Leaves one-fourth to
one inch long, all alternate or the lower opposite, more or
less oblong or linear-oblong, the lower usually broader and
sometimes cordate at the base, acute or obtuse, upper nar-
rowly oblong. Flowers solitary in the axils of all the upper
leaves, shortly pedicelled, two-bracteolate, six- rarely five-
merous ; bracteoles small, narrowly subulate. Calyx about
a quarter of an inch long; tube slender and cylindric below
the middle, then funnel-shaped ; lobes twelve, six larger
triangular acute erect, six interposed minute subulate
spreading. Petals longer than the calyx, obovate, subacute,
bright pink, nearly equal. Stamens twelve, the six longer
exserted, the shorter included. Ovary slender, glabrous.•
J. D.H.
Fig. 1, flower ; 2, the same cut longitudinally ; 3, stamens ; 4, pistil ; 5, trans-
verse section of ditto :•all enlarged.