190 HOW TO STUDY PLANTS. [LESSON 31. 



it is Phrenogamous. The netted-veined leaves, the structure of the 

 stem, arid the leaves of the flower in fives, at once refer it to Class I. 

 The pistils, of the ordinary sort, refer it to Subclass I. The five 

 petals refer it to the Polypetalous division ; the numerous stamens, 

 to subdivision A ; the free calyx to the section marked 1 ; the sta- 

 mens with the column of filaments united with the base of the petals 

 to * * (p. xviii) ; and the calyx being valvate in the bud (280), the 

 monadelphous stamens (111), and the one-celled anthers (Fig. 238), 

 of the first line under this head, bring us to the order MALVACEAE, 

 described on page 65. 



552. Turning to that page, we find that our plant accords with 

 the character of the order. The synopsis which follows contains two 

 tribes, differing in the stamens, the pistils, and the fruit. Our plant 

 agrees with Tribe I. MALTESE. The stigmas bring it under the sub- 

 division marked with one star, under which are four genera. The 

 involucel (looking like an outer calyx) of three leaves or bractlets 

 excludes it from the first and fourth. The petals being obcordate or 

 strongly notched at the end exclude it from the third ; while in all 

 points it agrees with the second, viz. the genus MALVA, or true 

 Mallow. Referring to the full description of Malva, on page 66, 

 which confirms this conclusion, we then read over the characters of 

 the two species there described, especially noting the more distin- 

 guishing points in Italic type, and we learn at once that our speci- 

 men belongs to the species ROTUNDIFOLIA. Its botanical name, 

 therefore, is MALVA KOTUNDIFOLIA. 



553. We will take one plant more for illustration. Let it be a 

 sort of Morning-Glory which is often met with climbing over shrubs 

 along the moist banks of streams. Its netted-veined leaves, the 

 leaves of the calyx and the stamens being five, no less than the 

 structure of the stem, if we choose to examine it, and the embryo 

 with two leafy cotyledons (as in Fig. 26), readily inspected if we 

 have seeds, show that it belongs to Class I. Its pistil refers it 

 of course to Subclass I. The corolla being a cup or funnel-shaped 

 tube excludes the plant from the first or Polypetalous division, and 

 brings it under the second or Monopetalous division (page xx). 



554. This division is subdivided, in the first place, by the number 

 of the stamens, and their position as respects the lobes of the corolla. 

 Now, as the petals of the corolla in this flower are united up to the 

 very border, the student may at first be puzzled to tell how many 

 lobes it should have, or, more properly, how many petals enter into 



