MR. BENTHAM ON MALVACEE AND STERCULIACE X. 97 
Notes on Malvacee and. Sterculiacee. By Groner 
Bentuk, Esq., P.L.S. 
[Read June 20, 1861.] 
Botanists appear to be unanimous in bringing together the group 
of orders designated by Endlicher under the name of Columnifere, 
by Brongniart under that of Malvoidee, and included by Lindley 
in his alliance of Malvales. They are characterized generally by 
the valvate calyx, contorted petals, monadelphous or indefinite 
stamens, and syncarpous ovary; and as to habit, by alternate 
stipulate leaves often toothed or palmately lobed, and a great ten- 
dency to stellate pubescence. The subdivision of the group, how- 
ever, has been the object of much diversity of opinion. Whilst 
A. de St. Hilaire proposed the adoption of two orders only, Mal- 
vaceæ and Tiliacez, the greater number of modern botanists have 
admitted one or two intermediate ones, Sterculiacee and Buett- 
neriaceæ ; whilst others enumerate as many as nine distinct orders, 
Malvacee, Bombacez, Sterculiacee, Lasiopetaler, Buettneriacex, 
Hermanniacew, Dombeyaces, Tiliaceæ, and Elæocarpeæ. The 
Tiliacez, including Eleocarpes, characterized by indefinite free or 
nearly free stamens with 2-celled anthers, have been the subject 
of a previous paper (Linn. Journ. v. 2nd Suppl). I have now to 
offer a few observations on the Malvaces as understood by St. 
Hilaire, characterized by monadelphous stamens, or, in the very 
few cases where they are free, definite and alternate with the 
sepals. 
There is so much: intercommunity, both in habit and character, 
in the various orders or tribes of this group, that the proposal for 
their union, although not generally adopted, was perhaps the most 
in conformity to the general principles of the natural method ; 
yet there is one character, derived from the one- or two-celled 
anthers, which seems to divide them into two large groups, Mal- 
vacee and Sterculiacex, accurately limited (with the exception of 
4 very few species, whose affinities are, by other characters, placed 
beyond doubt) and not unnatural; and this classification we pro- 
pose to adopt, in common with the majority of modern botanists, 
although not with the usual limits. For Bombacex, usually 
classed as a tribe of Sterculiacee, have the  one-celled an- 
thers of Malvaces ; and, in their accessory characters, their 
soft wood, their staminal arrangement, the cotton within the cap- 
sule of so many of them, show a nearer connexion with some of 
LINN. PROC.—BOTANTY, VOL. VI. H 
