416 MALVACEAE. (Vor. II. 
2. MALVA L. Sp. Pl. 687. 1753. 
Pubescent or glabrate herbs, with dentate lobed or dissected leaves, and axillary or ter- 
minal solitary or clustered perfect flowers. Calyx 5-cleft. Bractlets of the involucels 3 
(rarely none). Petals 5. Stamen-column anther-bearing at the summit. Cavities of the 
ovary several or numerous, I-ovuled; style-branches of the same number, linear, stigmatic 
along the inner side. Carpels arranged in a circle, 1-seeded, beakless, indehiscent. Seed 
ascending. [Greek, referring to the emollient leaves. ] 
About go species, natives of the Old World. In addition to the following, another is natural- 
ized in California. 
Leaves with 5-9 shallow angular lobes. A 
Petals 2-4 times the length of the calyx. 1. Mf. sylvestris. 
Petals 1-2 times the length of the calyx. 
Procumbent, low. 2. M. rotundifolia. 
Erect, tall. 3. MW. verticillata, 
Leaves deeply 5-7-lobed. 
Stem-leaves 1-3-pinnatifid; carpels downy. 4. M. moschata. 
Stem-leaves deeply lobed; carpels glabrous. 5. M. Alcea. 
1. Malva sylvéstris L. High Mallow. 
(Fig. 2415.) 
Malva sylvestris I,. Sp. Pl. 689. 1753. 
Biennial, erect or ascending, branched, pubescent 
with loose spreading hairs, or glabrate. Leaves 
orbicular, or reniform, 1%4’-4’ wide, with 5-9 shallow 
angular or rounded lobes, crenate-dentate, truncate or 
cordate at the base; petioles 2/-6’ long; flowers reddish- 
purple, 1/-1}4’ broad, in axillary clusters; pedicels 
slender; petals 2-4 times as long as the calyx; carpels 
about 10, flat on the back, rugose-reticulate. 
In waste places and along roadsides, sparingly adventive 
from Europe in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 
Native also of Siberia. Summer. English names, Com- 
mon Mallow, Cheese-flower, Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, 
Round Dock, Maul. 
2. Malva rotundifolia L. 
Low, Dwarf or Running Mal- 
low. Cheeses. (Fig. 2416.) 
M. rotundifolia L. Sp. P1. 688. 1753- 
Annual or biennial, procumbent 
and spreading from a deep root, 
branched at the base, stems 4’-I2/ 
long. Leaves orbicular-reniform, 
1/-3’ wide, cordate, with 5-9 broad 
shallow dentate-crenate lobes; peti- 
oles slender, 3-6’ long; flowers 
clustered in the axils, pale blue, 4’’/— 
7’/’ broad; pedicels 6’’-15’’ long; 
petals about twice the length of the 
ovate acute calyx-lobes; carpels 
about 15, rounded on the back, 
pubescent. 
In waste places, common. throughout our territory, and widely distributed as a weed in other 
temperate regions. Naturalized from Europe. Native also of western Asia. English names, 
Dutch-cheese, Doll or Fairy Cheeses, Pellas. May-—Nov. 
