246 Malvaceae 



the bases of the petals ; anthers 1-celled. Ovary several- 

 celled, entire or lobed ; styles united below, distinct 

 above, mostly as many as the cells of the ovary ; ovules 

 1 or several in each cell. Fruit capsular, rarely a berry, 

 several-celled ; the carpels falling away entire or else 

 loculicidally dehiscent. Embryo curved ; cotyledons 

 large, plicate or conduplicate ; endosperm scanty or 

 copious. 



Carpels 2-several-seeded. 1. Modiola. 



Carpels 1-seeded. 



Stigmas linear, on the inner side of the style branches. 



Stamens monadelphous. 2. Malva. 



Stamens united in phalanges in 2 series. 3. Sidalcea. 



Stigmas capitate or truncate. 



Flowers rose-purple or rarely 'white. 4. Malvastrum. 



Flowers cream-colored. 6. Sida. 



1. MODIOLA Moench. 



Prostrate or ascending herbs often rooting from the 

 nodes, with palmately cleft or divided leaves, and small 

 axillary peduncled flowers. Bracts of the involucre •">. 

 distinct. Calyx o-cleft. Cells of the ovary many, with 

 2-3 ovules in each. Style branches stigmatic at the 

 summit. Carpels 15-20, septate between the Beeds, 

 dehiscent into 2 valves, with awn-pointed tips, and aris- 

 tate on the back. 



1. M. Caroliniana (L.) Don. Decumbent, annual or biennial, 

 more or less pubescent, freely branching; stems 15-45 cm. long; 

 leaves nearly orbicular in outline, 1-6 cm. wide, petioled, pedately 

 3-5-cleft, rarely simply dentate or incised; flowers axillary, 6-10 

 mm. broad, red; peduncles at length elongated, slender; fruit 

 depressed-orbicular, the carpels hispid-aristate along the back. 



In rather low moist places. El Monte; Santa Anita. 



2. MALVA L. Mallow. 



Pubescenl or glabrate herbs with dentate Lobed or dis- 

 sected leaves, and axillary or terminal solitary or elns- 



