MALVA. 



scent, 1 -seeded, circularly arranged round the axis. Radicle in- 

 ferior. W. and A. 



284. M. sylvestris Linn. sp. pi. 969. E. Bot. t. 671- Fl. 

 Lond. t. 51. Woodv. t. 54. DC. prodr. i. 432. — Common in 

 waste places all over Europe. (Common Mallow.) 



Root tapering, branching, whitish. Leaves deep green, soft and downy, 

 serrated, plaited, with 7 acute lobes ; the uppermost with fewer, but 

 deeper, and more acute, lobes, than the lower ones. Flowers numerous, 

 of a shining purple, veiny, on simple, aggregate, hairy, axillary stalks. 

 Pollen whitish, large. Ripe carpels reticulated at the back. — Mucila- 

 ginous and emollient like the marsh-mallow. In tenesmus it is employed 

 as a clyster ; in external inflammations as a poultice. 



ALTHAEA. 



Calyx surrounded by a 6-9-cleft involucel. Carpels numer- 

 ous, capsular, closely and circularly arranged round the axis. 

 W. and A. 



285. A. officinalis Linn. sp. pi. 966. E. Bot. t. 147. Woodv. 

 t. 53. DC. prodr. i. 436. S. and C. i. t. 51 . — Common in most 

 parts of Europe near the sea. (Marsh Mallow.) 



Root tap-shaped, rather woody. Herb of a hoary green, peculiarly 

 soft and downy, with fine starry pubescence. Stems several, about 1 

 yard high, simple, round, leafy, tough and pliant. Leaves ovate or 

 heart-shaped at the base, various in breadth, plaited, 5-ribbed, un- 

 equally serrated, soft and pliable, more or less deeply divided into 5 

 acute lobes. Flowers in very 'short, dense, axillary panicles, rarely 

 solitary, of a delicate uniform blush colour. Involucre with 8, 9, 10 

 or 12 divisions. Smith. — The whole plant, especially the root, yields 

 in decoction a plentiful tastless colourless, mucilage, very salutary in 

 cases of irritation. It is used as a demulcent for children and is a 

 favourite medicine with the French who employ it constantly in poul- 

 tices, lozenges &c. under the name of Guimauve. 



URENA. 



Calyx persistent, surrounded by a 5- (or rarely 10) -cleft per- 

 sistent involucre. Style 1, 10-cleft at the apex. Carpels 5 

 (or by abortion 4), capsular, connivent, indehiscent, 1-seeded, 

 usually echinated externally with numerous prickles having mul- 

 tifid reflexed points (glochidate). Radicle inferior. Leaves 

 usually bearing beneath glandular pores on one or more of the 

 nerves near the base. W. and A. 



286. U. lobata Linn. sp. pi. 974. DC. prodr. i. 441. 

 W.andA.iA6.—(Dill.elth.t.3l9. f. 412. Rumf. vi. t. 25. f. 2. A.) 

 — East Indies. 



Herbaceous. Leaves roundish, with 8 or more short sometimes 



obsolete acute or obtuse lobes, more or less velvety, 5-7-nerved, with 1 



or sometimes 3 glands. Segments of the involucre 5, oblong-lanceolate, 



equal to the expanded calyx. Carpels densely pubescent, echinate. 



143 



