CHAP. L] MALVACEAE. 297 



it consists of five carpels grown together, each 

 containing many seeds : and when ripe, it bursts 

 naturally into five valves, each of which has a 

 dissepiment down the centre. The filaments 

 grow together very curiously, inclosins: the 

 styles, and forming a column in the centre of 

 the flower, which is the distinguishing mark of 

 the Malvaceae. Some of the stamens are shorter 

 than others, and a5 part of each filament is de- 

 tached, the anthers form the fringe-Uke border to 

 the column, shown at d. The anthers are kid- 

 ney-shaped and one-celled, and this is another 

 of the characteristics of the order; but the 

 styles are terminated by five ball-shaped stigmas, 

 like those of the Linum. There are many 

 kinds of Hibiscus ; but perhaps the best known 

 are : H, rosa sinensis, the species which is so 

 often represented in Chinese drawings, and the 

 petals of which are so astringent, that they are 

 said to be used in China by the men to black 

 their shoes, and by the women to dye their 

 hair ; and the Bladder Ketmia (H. Trionum), 

 which takes its English name from its inflated 

 capsule. All the plants belonging to the order 

 Malvacese have a central column, round which 

 are placed numerous carpels, which grow toge- 

 ther and form a many-celled capsule ; and they 

 all have kidney-shaped, one-celled anthers. 

 They have also always an involucrum below the 



