À MALVACEÆE. 
objects worthy of the gardener’s care, particularly those which 
are hardy. In stoves and green-houses the species are parti- 
cularly liable to the attacks of the red spider, mealy bug, and 
scale, a circumstance which makes them less generally esteemed 
than the beauty of many of them merits. The greater part of 
the plants contained in this Order are clothed with stellate pu- 
bescence, and a kidney-shaped, 1-celled anther is a character 
common to the whole. These two peculiarities, together with 
the alternate stipulate leaves, distinguish them from all the rest of 
Thalamiflore. All the species abound in a nutritive mucilage ; 
a quality which renders the young heads of the Okro or Hibis- 
cus esculéntus, an object of great value within the tropics as an 
ingredient in soups. In Brazil the Æbùliton esculéntum serves 
the same purposes. The emollient properties of Althæ a offici- 
nalis are well known to physicians. A decoction of the leaves 
of Spherdlcea Cisplatina is used for similar objects in Brazil. 
A species of Pavonia is employed in the same country as a diu- 
retic in the form of a decoction. The straight shoots of Sida 
macrantha are employed as rocket-sticks at Rio Janeiro. The 
chewed leaves of Sida carpinifdlia allay the inflammation 
occasioned by the stings of wasps. The tough fibres of many 
Malvace@ are manufactured into cordage. Their petals are as- 
tringent, whence those of Hibiscus rdsa-Sinénsis are used in 
China to blacken the eye-lashes, and the leather of shoes. The 
fibrous threads, in which the seeds of Gossypium are enveloped, 
furnish the valuable cotton, an article of immense importance to 
the world; these threads, when examined by the microscope, 
will be seen to be finely toothed, which explains the cause of 
their adhering together with greater facility than those of Bémbax 
and several Apocynee, which are destitute of teeth, and which 
cannot be spun into thread without the admixture of cotton. 
Synopsis of the genera. 
Division I. Calyx double, or girded by an involucrum. 
1 Ma’torr. Calyx girded by a 3-leaved involucrum; leaflets 
cordate. Carpels numerous, 1-seeded, disposed into a head. 
2 Ma’tva. Calyx girded by a 3-leaved involucrum, rarely 
by a 5-6-leaved one} leaflets oblong or setaceous. Carpels cap- 
sular, 1-seeded, verticillate, disposed in an orbicular head. 
3 SPHÆRA'LCEA. Calyx girded by a 3-leaved involucel. 
Carpels, 2-3-seeded, verticillate, collected into a round head. 
_ 4 Mopvrora. Calyx girded by a 3-leaved involucel. Car- 
pels bicuspidate, 2-seeded, disposed in a whorl. 
5 Kirarse‘nia. Calyx girded by a 7-9-cleft involucel. 
pels capsular, 1-seeded, disposed into a 5-lobed head. 
6 Arrnæ'a. Calyx girded by a 6-9-cleft involucel. 
capsular, 1-seeded, disposed into a globular head. 
T Lavate’ra. Calyx girded bya 3-5-cleft involucel ; leaflets 
usually connected together to the middle. Carpels capsular, 
1-seeded, disposed into an orb around the axis. 
8 Mata'cura. General involucrum 3-5-leaved, girding a 
head of flowers. Calyx girded by a proper 8-12-leaved invo- 
lucel ; leaflets linear, or bristle-formed. Carpels 5, oe 
I-seeded, disposed into a globular head. 
Car- 
Carpels 
459 
9 Ure Na. Calyx girded by a 5-cleft involucel, especially 
with the leaflets connected to the middle. Anthers on the top 
of the staminiferous tube. Carpels 5, capsular, connivent, 1- 
seeded, usually echinated on the outside, with prickles, which are 
rayed at the apex. . 
10 Pavonta. Calyx girded by a 5-15-leaved involucel. 
Stigmas 10. Carpels 5, capsular, 2-valved, 1-seeded. 
11 Matvavi'scus. Calyx girded by a many-leaved invo- 
lucel. Petals erect, convolute. Stigmas 10. Carpels 5, bac- 
cate, 1-seeded, sometimes nearly distinct, but usually connate 
into a 5-celled fruit. 
12 LEBRETÒNIA. 
parted involucel. 
tion, with a spreading limb. Styles 10. 
from abortion, 1-seeded, indehiscent. 
13 Hrpiscus. Calyx girded by a -many-leaved, rarely with 
few-leaved involucel, distinct or connected with each other at 
the base. Petals not auricled. Stigmas 5. Carpels joined into 
a 5-celled capsule, with the valves bearing a dissepiment on the 
inside ; cells many, rarely 1-seeded. Seeds woolly or smooth. 
14 Pari’r1um. Calyx girded by a 7-10-12-toothed or lobed in- 
volucel. Style 5-cleft. Capsule 5-celled, 5-valved, with a dis- 
sepiment in the middle-of each valve, many-seeded. Seed smooth. 
15 Lacuna ria. Calyx girded by an involucel, which is 
almost reduced to a prominent, entire or toothed margin. Capsule 
5-celled, with a dissepiment in the middle of each valve. Cells 
many-seeded. Seeds smooth. 
16 Tuespr'sta. Calyx truncate, girded by a 3-leaved deci- 
duous involucel. ‘Capsule 5-celled; cells semi-partite, bearing 
4 seeds at the base, with an incomplete dissepiment. Albumen 
sparing. 
17 Gossy’p1um. Calyx cup-shaped, bluntly 5-toothed, girded 
by a 3-leaved involucel (f. 83. a.) leaflets connected at the base, 
cordate, jagged. Stigmas 3-5. Capsule 3-5-celled (f. 83. f.), 
many-seeded. Seeds enveloped in cotton (f. 83. g.). 
18 Repovrr’a. Calyx 5-parted (f. 84. b.), girded by a 
10-12-leaved involucel (f. 84. a.), shorter than the calyx. Stig- 
mas 3 (f. 84. g.). Capsule 3-celled, 3-valved (f. 84. h.) many- 
seeded. Placentas 3, alternating with the valves, bearing 
woolly seeds (f. 84. i.) on all sides. Anthers in bundles (f. 84. d.). 
19 Fuco'sta. Calyx 5-cleft (f. 85. a.), girded by a very 
short 12-leaved setaceous involucel. Anthers few, disposed as 
it were in a whorl on the middle of the staminiferous tube (f. 
85.d.). Stigmas 1-3-4 (f. 85. e.). Capsule 3-celled, globose ; 
cells 3-5-seeded (f. 85. h. i.). Seeds.covered with short wool. 
20 Se’rra. Calyx 5-toothed, small, girded by a 3-leaved 
involucel ; leaflets cordate, entire. Anthers about 10, stipitate, 
on the top and sides of the tube, with a 4-5-crenate membrane 
under the ovary. Stigmas 5. Capsule 2-celled ? 10-seeded. 
21 Lori’m1a. Involucel 20-leaved, longer than the calyx; 
leaflets setaceous, connivent. Corolla flat. Column of stamens 
somewhat deflexed. Stigmas 10. Anthers 30-40. Capsule of 
5 carpels; carpels 1-seeded, close, covered with viscid mucilage. 
22 PorycuLæ'na. Calyx 5-cleft, girded by a many-leaved, 
setaceous involucel. Capsule 5-celled, cells 1-seeded. 
3N2 
Calyx 5-parted, girded by a shorter 5- 
Petals 5, exserted in part, twisted in estiva- 
Carpels 5 or only 4 
