266 Order 24.— MALVACEAE. 



b Flowers dioecious. Stigmas 10, linear Nafjsa. 5 



b Flowers perfect. Carpels 5 or more, 1-seeded Sida. 6 



b Flowers perfect. Carpels f> or many, 3 to 9-seeded Abittiloh. T 



C Stigmas 10. Carpels 5, baccate, united Malvaviscus. 8 



C Stigmas 10. Carpels 5, dry, distinct Pavoxia. 9 



C Stigmas 5. Carpels 5, dry, united into a pod Kostelf.tzkta. 10 



d Involucre of many bractlets. Calyx regular Hibiscus. 11 



d Involucre of many bractlets. Calyx split on one side Abelmoschus. 12 



d Involucre of 3 incisely toothed bractlets Gossypium. 13 



1. ALTH>£A, L. Marsh Mallow. (Gr. dXOcj, to cure ; the mucil- 

 aginous root is highly esteemed in medicine). Calyx surrounded at base 

 by a 6 to 9-cleft involucel ; styles co, with linear stigmas ; carpels oo, 

 1-seeded, indehiscent, arranged circularly, and at maturity separating 

 from the axis. 



1 A. officinalis L. Lvs. soft-downy on both sides, cordate-ovate, dentate, some- 

 what 3-lobed; ped. much shorter than the leaves, axillary, many-flowered. — If Me. 

 to N. Y., borders of salt marshes. St. 3f high, erect, firm, covered with thick 

 woolly down, with alternate, velvet-like leaves. Fls. large, axillary and terminal, 

 pale purple. The root as well as the other parts of the plants, abounds in muci- 

 lage, and in medicine is often used as an emollient. Sept.J § Eur. 



2 A. rosea Cav. Hollyhock:. St. erect, hairy; lvs. cordate, 5 to 1 -angled, 

 rugous; fls. axillary, sessile. — '% A tall plant, very commonly cultivated in gar- 

 dans. Numerous varieties have been noticed, with single, double, and semi-double- 

 fiowers, of various shades of color, as white, rose-colored, flesh-colored, dark red, 

 and even a purplish black, purple, yellow, straw-color, etc. \ China? (Alcea 

 rosea L.) 



3 A. ficifolia Cav. Fig-leaved Hollyhock. St. erect, hairy ; lvs. palmate, 

 7-lobed beyond the middle, lobes oblong, obtuse, angular-toothed.— (g) St. tall as 

 the above. Fls orange-colored. f Levant. (Alcea ficifolia L.) 



2. MALVA, L. Mallow. (Gr. /xaXaxf], soft ; on account of the soft 

 mucilaginous properties.) Calyx 5-cleft, the involucel 3-leaved ; petals 

 obcordate or truncate ; styles oo, with linear stigmas ; carpels oo, 

 1-celled, 1-seeded, indehiscent, arranged circularly, and at maturity sep- 

 arating from the axis. 



§ Leaves orbicular, with 5 to 7 angular lobes. Carpels obtuse Nos. 1 — S 



§ Leaves triangular-deltoid, scabrous. Carpels acute No. 4 



§ Leaves palmately 5 to 7-parted Nos. 5, 6 



1 M. roturidifolia L. Low Mallow. St. prostrate; lvs. roundish, cordate, 

 obtusely 5-lobed ; ped. in fruit reflexed ; cor. (pale) twice as long as the calyx.— 

 % Common in cultivated grounds. Sts. numerous, a foot or more long. Lvs. 

 somewhat reniform, crenate, with 5 to 7 shallow lobes, and on long, hairy stalks. 

 Ped. axillary, aggregate. Petals pale pink, deeply notched. Fr. depressed-glob- 

 ous, composed of the numerous carpels arranged circularly, not wrinkled. The 

 child sportively calls them cheeses. Jn. — Oct. § Eur. 



2 M. sylvestris L. High Mallow. St. erect: lvs. 5 to 7-lobed, lobes of the 

 upper lvs. rather acute; carp, very rugous; pet. (purple) 3 times longer than sep. — 

 A popular garden flower of the easiest culture, often springing up spontaneously 

 in fields and road-sides, Mid. and W. States. Heigh i 3f. Fls. reddish-purple, 

 with veins of a darker hue. The whole plant, especially the root, abounds in 

 mucilage. Jn. — Oct. § Eur. 



3 M. crispa L. St. erect ; lvs. angular-lobed, dentate, crisped, smooth ; fls. 

 (white) axillary, sessile. — ® A tall, straight, simple, erect plant from Syria. Gar- 

 dens, almost naturalized. St. 5 to 6f high. Lvs. large, roundish, margins abun- 

 dantly crisped and curled. Fls. white, not conspicuous. Jn. — Aug. f § Eur. 



4 M. triangtilata Leav. St. erect, hirsute ; lvs. strigous, triangular-deltoid, 

 lower ones, cordate, all undivided, coarsely crenate ; panicle terminal, diffuse, 

 many-flowered ; petals purple ; carp. 10 to 15, slightly beaked. — Prairies and 



