58 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



Order XVL— MALVACEAE. 



Flowers regular ; calyx 5-lobed, often v/ith an epicalyx ; 

 petals 5, twisted in the bud; stamens numerous, the 

 filaments united into a tube surrounding the numerous 

 styles ; seed-vessel composed of many carpels ; leaves 

 stipulate. A large order, chiefly tropical and subtropical ; 

 no alpine species. 



I. Malva, L. 



Flowers axillary, conspicuous, fugacious, subtended by 

 an epicalyx of 3 bracts ; seed-vessel a flat whorl of nume- 

 rous I -seeded indehiscent carpels. 



The two common English Mallows, M, sylvestris, L., 

 and rotundifolia, L., are widely distributed ; and M. mos~ 

 chata, L., Musk Mallow, with lighter coloured flowers and 

 more divided leaves, occurs occasionally. Also M. Alcea, 

 L. ; bracts of epicalyx ovate, acute, leaves deeply divided, 

 plant hairy; road-sides, frequent. 



2. Alth^a, L. 



Flowers axillary or in racemes, large; epicalyx of 6-9 

 bracts. 



A. hirsuta, L. ; flowers I in. diam., pink, on long 

 stalks, leaves kidney-shaped, on long stalks, plant hispid ; 

 cultivated land, occasional. A. officinalis^ L., Marsh 

 Mallow ; flowers 1-2 in. diam., pink, in axillary cymes, 

 leaves on short stalks, a pubescent shrub ; marshes, but 

 usually introduced. 



Other species of Althcea, also oi Lavatera, L., some of 



