Malva MALVACEAE Abutilon 



Involucel present. 

 Involucel of 2 or 3 separate bracts: fls. pink or white, 0.8-4 cm. 



in diam 1 . Malva 



Involucel 6-9-cleft: fls. variously colored 2. Althaea 



Involucel none: fls. yellow, white or reddish, up to 6 cm. in diam. 3. Abutilon 

 AA. Fr. a loculicidal capsule. 



Lobes of the involucel large and fringed: seeds densely long-hairy. 4. Gossypium 

 Lobes of the involucel entire: seeds glabrous or pilose. 

 Calyx spathe-like, splitting down one side and circumscissile, 



deciduous 5 . Abelmoschus 



Calyx regularly lobed, persistent 6 . Hibiscus 



1. Malva Linn. Mallow £$HM (Chin K'uei Shu; Beautiful Sunflower Genus) 

 Herbs with lobed or dissected lvs.: fls. pink or white, subtended by 3 or 2 small 

 distinct bracteoles: fr. a ivliorl of compressed one-seeded carpels ivhich separate at 

 maturity. 30 species, in Eurasia and North Africa, widely naturalized; 3 in China. 

 (Greek: malakos, soft, probably referring to the soft downy leaves of some species.) 



Key to the Species 



Fls. on slender pedicels 1.5-2.5 cm. long; bractlets of the involucel 



oblong to ovate-lanceolate; petals 3 x the calyx 1 . M. sylvestris 



Fls. crowded in the If. axils; bractlets linear to linear-lanceolate; petals 



2 x the calyx 2 . M. verticillata 



1. Malva sylvestris Linn. (G.M. 1001). Erect annual, to 1 m.; fls. rose-purple, on 

 slender pedicels, VI-VIII; fr. VII-IX. Eurasia; locally in Ku. Planted, orna- 

 mental. Fig. 234 



2. Malva verticillata Linn. Whorled Mallow ^-H (Tung K'uei; Winter Mallow) 

 (G.M. 1001). Erect annual, to 2 m.; fls. pink, clustered in If. axils, IV-V; fr. VI- 

 VIII. Introduced from Europe; locally in Hup., Ki., Ku. Sometimes planted, 

 ornamental. 



2. Althaea Linn. Marsh Mallow W}MM (Shu K'uei Shu) 

 Tall coarse herbs: fls. variously colored, 2cm. or more in diam.; bracteoles united 

 into a 6-9-cleft involucel: fr. as in Malva. 15 species, temperate zone; one cultivated 

 and naturalized in China. (Greek: althaino, to heal.) 



1. Althaea rosea Cav. Hollyhock ggg (Shu K'uei; Szechuan Mallow) (B.M. 658). 

 Erect biennial, to 3 m.; fls. varicolored, IV-VII; fr. VIII; bracteoles united. In- 

 troduced from Persia; locally in An., Che., Ki., Ku. Planted, ornamental. Fig. 

 235. 



3. 



Abutilon Mill. Indian Mallow mWM (Meng Ma Shu) 

 Herbs (ours) and shrubs with long-petiolate cordate lvs.: fls. yellow, white, or 

 reddish, ivithout involucel, up to 6cm. in diam.; styles as many as the carpels: fr. 

 as in Malva. 100 species, many warm countries; 2 in China. (Arabic: abutilum, 

 name for a mulberry which has leaves resembling those of Abutilon.) 



1. Abutilon theophrasti Medic. Velvet Leaf mU (Meng Ma; Fritillary Hemp) 

 (G.M. 1005). Erect annual, to 2 m.; fls. yellow, without involucel, VII-VIII; fr. 

 IX-X. Introduced from India; locally in An., Ki., Ku. Cultivated, fiber. Fig. 236. 



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