MALVACEAE 765 



merely constricted at the middle. Styles short. Stigmas terminal. Ovules 1 or 2 and 

 horizontal, or ascending in the divergent and 2-valved upper portion, and solitary and pen- 

 dulous in the lower portion. Seeds minutely pitted and often with groups of hairs. 



Plant minutely pubescent : calyx shorter than the carpels : petals less than 5 mm. long. 



1. W. periplocifolia. 

 Plant densely velvety-tomentose : calyx surpassing the carpels : petals over 10 mm. long. 



2. W. holosericea. 



1. Wissadula periplocifolia (L. ) Griseb. Plant minutely and inconspicuously 

 pubescent. Stems 1-2 m. tall, paniculately branched : leaf-blades orbicular-ovate to lance- 

 olate, commonly 5-10 cm. long, acuminate, entire or merely undulate, deep green and 

 glabrate above, cordate : petioles as long as the blades or shorter : panicles often ample : 

 calyx 2-4 mm. long, not accrescent : lobes acute : petals pale yellow, 4-5 mm. long : fruit 

 5-6 mm. high, conspicuously surpassing the calyx : carpels mucronate : seeds 3-4, the 

 lower one pubescent, the upper puberulent. 



On hillsides or in dry soil, southern Texas and adjacent Mexico. Also in the West Indies and 

 South America, and Africa. 



2. Wissadula holosericea (Scheele) Garcke. Plant densely velvety tomentose, 

 heavy scented. Stems 1-2 m. tall, branching : leaf- blades ovate to suborbicular in outline, 

 5-25 cm. long, acute or usually acuminate, more or less distinctly dentate and often 3-lobed, 

 cordate : petioles usually shorter than the blades : peduncles solitary : calyx accrescent : 

 lobes triangular-ovate, about as long as the tube, acute : petals orange-yellow, 14-18 mm. 

 long : carpels pubescent, 6 mm. high, surpassed by the calyx-lobes : seeds granular- 

 pitted, glabrous. 



In rocky soil, Texas and adjacent Mexico. 



4. MODIOLA Moench. 



Annual or perennial herbs, with prostrate creeping stems or branches. Leaves alter- 

 nate : blades palmately divided, angular, or lobed. Involucel of three distinct bractlets. 

 Flowers perfect, inconspicuous, pedicelled, axillary. Sepals 5, united below. Petals 5, 

 mostly broadest above the middle, entire. Carpels many. Styles filiform : stigmas capi- 

 tate. Ovules 2, in each cavity of the transversely septate carpels. Mature carpels dis- 

 posed about a central axis, 2-valved, each valve slender-tipped. Seeds reniform, two in each 

 carpel, that is, 1 in each cavity. 



1. Modiola Caroliniana ( L. ) G. Don. Annual or biennial, strigose or hirsute- 

 Stems branched at the base, the branches spreading, 1-7 dm. long, usually branched : leaf- 

 blades ovate to suborbicular in outline, pedately or palmately 3-5-cleft or parted, 2-6 cm. 

 long, the divisions coarsely serrate or incised : petioles shorter tiian the blades: peduncles 

 mostly longer than the subtending petioles : bractlets of the involucels broadest above the 

 middle or below it : calyx surpassing the bractlets ; lobes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, longer than the tube : petals obovate or oval-obovate, 6-10 mm. long : carpels in 

 a depressed head. \_31. multijida Moench.] 



In waste places, Virginia to Florida and Texas. Also in Central and South America. Summer. 



5. MALVA L. 



Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, usually with pubescent foliage. Leaves alternate : 

 blades lobed or dissected. Flowers solitary or clustered in the axils or rarely in terminal 

 spikes or racemes. Involucel of 3 or rarely 2 distinct bractlets. Sepals 5, partially united. 

 Petals 5, of various colors, emarginate, sometimes eroded. Carpels many, 1 -celled. Styles 

 9-20, stigmatic on the inner side. Ovules solitary. ]\Iature carpels reniform, numerous, 

 indehiscent, disposed around a central axis, forming a disk -like fruit, beakless. Seeds 

 ascending. Embryo circular. Mallow. 



Corolla less than 2 cm. broad : bractlets linear to lanceolate. 



Branches erect or ascending : carpels glabrous and reticulated on the back. 1. M. parviflom. 



Branches procumbent : carpels finely pubescent and smooth on the back. 2. M. rotundifolia. 



Corolla over 2 cm. broad : bractlets oblong to ovate-lanceolate. 3. M. sylvestris. 



1. Malva parviflora L. Annual, glabrous or sparingly pubescent. Stems branched : 

 leaf-blades reniform or suborbicular, angulately or obtusely lobed, crenate, cordate : petioles 

 usually several times longer than the blades : calyx widely spreading at maturity but 

 clasping the fruit in drying ; lobes triangular, acute : petals whitish or purple-tinged, 

 3.5-7 mm. long: fruit 7-8 mm. broad: carpels glabrous, 2-2.5 mm. long, sharply trans- 

 verse-rugose on the back, the margins slightly winged and denticulate. 



In waste places, British Columbia to California, Texas, Florida and Mexico. Naturalized from 

 Europe. Summer. 



