Malvaviscus. MALVACE^. 229 



er seed inferior. — Prostrate and usually creeping herbs. Leaves divided. 

 Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered. 



1. M. multijida (Moench): leaves palinately o-5-lohed ; sej^raents incised 



and toothed; pedicels longer than the petioles; stamens 15-lH ; carpels 15- 



20, hispid, with 2 subulate horns. — Momch, I. c. Malva Caroliniana, fjiini.; 



mild. sp. 3. p. 784; Walt. Car. p. 176 ; Mic/ui: J jl. 2. p. 44 ; Ell. .sk. 2. 



p. H53; DC. prodr. 1. p. 435. 



In rich soils, along rivers, and in waste places ; Virginia ! to Florida ! west 

 to Red River, Louisiana! July-Sept.— (J)? Ell. Stem difluse, more or 

 less hirsute, usually rooting at the lower joints. Leaves 1-2 inches in diame- 

 ter, truncate or subcordate at the base, hirsute beneath, Avith a few scattered 

 hairs above. Flowers 5-6 lines in diameter. Bracteoles linear-lanceolate. 

 Segments of the calyx ovate-lanceolate. Petals obovate, purplish-red, a little 

 longer than the calyx. Carpels lunate, much compressed, hispid on the 

 back, wrinkled on the sides toward the base. A rigid process rising from 

 the back on the inside of the carpel extends to the axis, separating the upper 

 from the lower seed. — Very near M. repens, St. Ilil. Jl. Bra.s. 1. p. 212. t. 

 43, & Malva (Modiola) prostrata, Cav.; both of which are perhaps but vari- 

 eties of this species. 



5. ALTH^A. Cav. diss. 2. p. 91 ; DC. prodr. 1. p. 437. 



Althffia & Alcea, Linn. 



Calyx surrounded by a 6-9-cleft involucel. Carpels numerous, indehis- 

 cent, 1-seeded, arranged in a circle round the axis. 



1. A. officinalis (Linn.) : leaves softly tomentose on both sides, cordate 

 or ovate, toothed, entire or 3-lobed ; peduncles many-flowered, much shorter 

 than the leaves. — Euir. hot. t. 147 ; Bigel. Jl. Bost. p. 259; DC. prodr. 1. 

 p. 436. 



Borders of salt marshes. Long Island and elsewhere: introduced. Aug.- 

 Sept. — U Root long, white. Stem about 2 feet high. Leaves usuaOy some- 

 what 3-lobed. Peduncles 3-4-flowered. Flowers an inch or more in diame- 

 ter, pale rose-color. — Common Marsh-mallow. 



6. MALVAVISCUS. Dill.; DC. prodr. 1. p. 445. 



Achania, Stvartz. 



Calyx surrounded by an involucel of numerous bracteoles. Petals erect, 

 convolute. Styles 10, united below : stigmas capitellate, the alternate ones 

 lonser. Carpels 5, baccate, 1-seeded, somewhat distinct, or united into a 5- 

 celled fruit. — Frutescent (rarely herbaceous?) plants. Flowers red. 



1. .1/. Floridanus TNutt) : hirsute ; leaves cordate-ovate, crenately serrate, 

 rather acute, on petioles one-fourth their length; peduncles axillary in the 

 uppermost leaves, 1-flowered, nodding ; involucel 8-9-leaved, somewhat pa- 

 tulous, rather shorter than the calyx. — Niitt. ! in jour. acad. Philad. 7. p. 

 S9. M. penduliflorus, DC. prodr. 1. p. 445? 



Key West, E. Florida, Mr. Ware; Mr. Bennett I — A small shrub. 

 Leaves 1-li inch long, hispid with somewhat stellate hairs. Peduncles long- 

 er than the petioles. Leaflets of the involucel narrowly linear. Calyx deep- 

 ly 5-cleft ; segments ovate-lanceolate. Corolla about an inch long, scarlet, 

 Stamineal column exserted. — Near M. arboreus. 



