298 MALVACE^. [part ii. 



calyx, but this involucrum differs in the different 

 genera. In the genus Malva, the involucrum 

 consists of three leaflets, which in the common 

 Mallow (Malva sylvestris) are oblong. The 

 petals are wedge-shaped, and they are what 

 botanists call auricled ; that is, they are set so 

 far apart at the base that Hght can be seen 

 through them. The stamens are all of nearly 

 the same height, and they form a kind of bunch 

 round the styles, which are pointed. The cap- 

 sule consists of a circle of woolly-looking carpels 

 growing close together, but so as to be easily 

 detached with a pin, and each fitting into a 

 little groove in the receptacle, in whijh they are 

 placed. As the seeds ripen, the involucrum falls 

 off, but the large loose-looking calyx remains 

 on. There is only one seed in each carpel ; but 

 as there are generally eleven carpels in each 

 capsule, each seed-vessel contains this number 

 of seeds. The leaves are lobed and toothed ; 

 and the whole plant is covered with long hairs, 

 which are disposed in little star-like tufts. 



The genus Malope closely resembles the Mal- 

 low ; except that the petals are not wedge- 

 shaped, and that it has a still larger calyx, the 

 long sepals of which shroud the capsule as the 

 involucre of the filbert does the nut. The invo- 

 lucrum is composed of three broad, heart-shaped 

 leaflets, which remain on till the seed is ripe. 



