MALVACK.'E. 609 



petals. Filaments united into a tube or a column. Anthers oblong or reniform, 

 ultimately l-celled, tbe cells sinuous or twisted, bursting longitudinally. Ovary 

 2- or many-celled, with 1 or more ovules in each cell, attached to the inner angle, 

 entire or lobcd, or of 2-5 or more carpels, whorled round a central axis. Herbs or 

 shrubs, rarely trees. Flowers axillary or terminal, variously arranged. 



A. Carpels whorled iu a single row, not united into a capsule. 



MALVIE.'E. 

 Stat/iuiul column hearing the filaments at the summit. Sti/le-branches as many as 

 cells to the ovary. Mature carpels separating more or less from the a.ris. 



* Ovules solitary, ascending. 

 X Stigmas linear. 



Altu.i:a, Linnccus. 



Bracteoles G-9, uuitcd at base. Fruit-axis not longer than the carpels. 



*A. nosKA, Cav. Promc. Khakyen Hills in gardens. 



A. Coromandeliana, Cav. 

 A.Jlexuosa, Sims. 



Holli-hock. 



The word ' holli-hock ' is a curious instance of how the names of plants get 

 transmogrified. Hock is from the root oi Alcca (the mallow), thus Alc-auc-hauc = 'S.Axik 

 or Hock. HoLLi is a corruption of Cuiili, from C'aulis, a stalk (whence cauliflower), 

 and signifies the mallow on a tall stalk I (Prior, Popular Names of British Plants). 



Malva, Liunaus. 



Bracteoles 3, distinct. Carpels not beaked. 



M. VEETICILI.ATA, L. Khakycn Hills. 



M. Xeilgherrensis, Wight. 



The mallows and hoUi-hocks possess demulcent and laxative properties, and 

 marsh-mallow lozenges are still an esteemed remedy for bronchial ii'ritatiou. They 

 were regarded as verj" wholesome herbs bj" tlu; Eomans : 



" Aut herba lapathi prata amantis, et gravi 

 Malv;c salubres corpori." 



Horace, Epod. ii. line 57. 



X X Stigmas capitate or clavate. 

 JIalva STRUM, A. Gray.. 

 Bracteoles 1 to 3, distinct, or none. Carpels usually beaked. 

 M. koderalk, Miq. llubbishy spots at Chittagong and Rangoon. 



M. tricuspidatum, A. Gray. 



* * Orules solitary suspended. 



SiDA, Linnams. 



Carpels converging with their points or beaked. Bracteoles none, or very ran 1)" 

 1 or 2 and bristle-like. Pyen-dor-gna-len (generic). 



* Leaves from lanceolate to oblong or obovate-ohlong, on short 2 to -i lines long petioles. 



S. CAEPixiFOLiA, L. llubbishy spots all over IJurma. The Isicobars. 



S. acuta. Bur. Kecently introduced into the Andamans. 



S. lanceolata, lloxb. 



Carpels usually 5, leaves more or less green on both sides. Peduncles short, not 

 or at the very base jointed. 



