Erect annual or perennial. The cultivated plant usually takes a deep red colour. Capsule ovoid, pointed. Leaves entire or with shallow lobes. Generally cultivated, but occurs wild in Southern Sudan. The fleshy calyx is subacid and is used to prepare a refreshing drink. The plant yields a strong, silky fibre; it is known as Rozelle or Red Sorrel in the West Indies. =H. cannabinus= _Linn._ TIL—Arab; N’ZEEBEE—Zande. Tall herb; all parts hairy. Flowers yellow with maroon centre. Leaves deeply 5-7 lobed. Epicalyx of 5-7 segments. Capsule pointed. Kassala Prov. (Gallabat); Fung Prov. (Jongol’s Post); White Nile; Upper White Nile, Kordofan; Bahr El Ghazal & Mongalla Provinces. Two varieties are in cultivation, both are used for the fibre which is made into Sagia ropes. The seeds yield an oil; the leaves possess aperient properties. =H. micranthus= _Linn._ GHUBEISH (N. Kordn.)—Arab. Undershrub with spreading branches and stellate pubescence. Leaves 3-nerved, wedge- shaped at base, about 1 in. long. Flowers ½ in. long, pink. Epicalyx of 7-8 linear segments. Seeds numerous, cottony. Red Sea Prov.; White Nile Prov. (El Dueim); Kordofan Prov.; Darfur Prov. (J. Sungur); Mongalla Prov. (Mongalla). =H. micranthus= _Linn._, =var.= ABUTKULA—Hadendowa. Procumbent herb, with white flowers, turning pink after fertilisation. Red Sea Prov. (Erkowit); Darfur Prov. =H. ternatus= _Mast._ Erect branching herb. Leaves palmately 3-lobed, upper leaves more deeply cut. Epicalyx none; calyx lobes 3-nerved; corolla yellow, under 1 in. long. Capsule pointed, hairy. White Nile Prov. (J. Arashkol); Mongalla Prov. (Sh. Tombé). =H. Solandra= _L’Herit._ Tall, woody herb, not unlike _Wissadula rostrata_ in general appearance. Leaves ovate to more or less deeply 3-lobed, cordate, dentate-serrate. Flowers pink, ½ in. across, in few-flowered terminal raceme; bracteoles none. Blue Nile Prov. (Geneib Assad). =H. sudanensis= _Hochst._ Woody, with prickly stems. Leaves triangular, truncate at base, up to 6 in. long, dentate, glabrous above, glabrescent or pubescent below. Flowers axillary, solitary or 2-3. Bracteoles 10, linear. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. =H. esculentus= _Linn._ BAMIA & WEIKAH—Arab; KWEINDE (Dilling)—Nuba; KARAN—Hameg; FOMAH (Renk)—Dinka; BARA (Ghabat El Arab)—Nuer. Tall, erect, woody herb. Leaves long-stalked, palmately 5-lobed. Corolla large, yellow, with purple centre. Capsule 4-6 in. long. Cultivated. The young pods are used as a vegetable, the stem yields a good fibre. 225 =Cienfuegosia digitata= _Cav._ GUTUB & GID EL GUTN (N. Kordn.), MĀNAGIGA (Meshra El Zeraf) and GUTN EL KHAL—Arab. Hairy herb or undershrub, somewhat like a small cotton plant. Leaves 5-lobed; ovary black punctate. Kordofan Prov. (Fertangul & North Kordofan); Upper White Nile Prov. (Meshra El Zeraf). 226 =Thespesia near Garckeana= _F. Hoffm._ NAJIKAR (J. Daier)—Nuba.