44 MALVACE^. 



to a staminal tube which stands up round the style in 

 the centre of the flower. 



Well-known members of the family are HIBISCUS 

 Shoe-flower, ALTH^A Hollyhock, GOSSYPIUM Cotton- 

 plant, ERIODENDRON and BOMBAX Silk-cotton trees, 

 THESPESIA, planted on the Madras beach. 



The plants are as a rule more or less covered with 

 both simple and stellate hairs ; have a fibrous and slimy 

 inner bark ; alternate simple, stipulate leaves ; and showy 

 flowers borne solitary in the leaf-axils. The flowers have 

 five petals twisted over each other in bud ; numerous 

 stamens united as above mentioned in one tube, or in 

 definite bundles; and a three to five-celled ovary with 

 single branched style and capitate stigmas. The fruit is 

 always dry, either a capsule or breaking up into separate 

 seed-containing sections. 



The family is mainly a tropical one, and abundant on the 

 plains, where various species of hibiscus are cultivated, either 

 for the fibre of the inner bark (Hemp) or the edible fruit 

 (Bandikai) or as garden flowers. On these hill-tops only two 

 genera appear to be indigenous. 



The name malva (Eng. Mallotv, Ger. Malve^ Fr. Mauve) was 

 adapted by Linnczui from the Greek malakee, soft^ in allusion to the 

 slimiitess of the plant when crushed, hibiscus was the Greek name for our 

 Mallow. 



{Tall herb, with lobed or entire leaves b 

 Low creeping herb, with much dissected leaves . modiola. 



r JRipe carpels separating from each other. . . . malva. 

 [Fruit a pointed, bristly capsule ...... hibiscus. 



MALVA. F.B.I. 26 III. 



Mallow. 



Downy herbs with lobed leaves and axillary clusters 

 of flowers, each with three free bracteoles and character- 

 ised further by having in each carpel one ascending 

 ovule and by the carpels separating from each other in 

 fruit. 



