Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. — By George King, 

 M. B., LL. D., F. R. S., C. I. E., Superintendent of the Boyal 

 Botanic Garden, Calcutta. No, 3. 



(Continued from page 206 of Vol. LIX of 1890.) 

 [Received 2nd March 1891. Read April 1st 1891.] 



In the arrangement of the Natural families ■\vhicli is being followed 

 in these papers (that of DeCandolle as modified by the late Mr. Bentham 

 and Sir Joseph Hooker), the family Dipterocaoyeae should have pi*eceded 

 Malvaceae. Delays have, however, occurred in the elaboration of that 

 family ; and, rather than postpone the publication of the remaining thi'ee 

 Thalamifloral orders, I have decided to submit my account of these to 

 the Society now, deferring my paper on the JDipterocarjjeae and on the 

 previously omitteei Anonaceae to a future occasion. 



Order XVII. MALVACE^. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees ; herbaceous portions often stellate-hairy or 

 scaly. Leaves alternate, palminerved, simple, lobed, or rarely compound. 

 Stipules free, sometimes caducous. Bracteoles 3 or more, free or com- 

 bined, often forming an epicalyx. Floivers axillary or terminal, solitary, 

 fascicled or cymose-paniculate, regular, hermaphrodite or 1-sexual. 

 Sepals 5, valvate, free or connate. Petals 5, twisted-imbricate. Stamens 

 00 , rarely definite, adnate to the base of the petals ; filaments monadel- 

 pbous, foi-ming a tube ; anthers oblong or reniform, cells sinuous or 

 twisted, linear or annular, ultimately 1-celled bursting longitudinally. 

 Ovary 2-many-celled, entire, or lobed, of 2-5 or usually more carpels 

 whorled round a central axis ; styles connate below or tbroughout their 

 length ; ovules 1 or more, curved, attached to the inner angle of each 

 carpel. Fruit of dry cocci, or capsular and loculicidal, often large and 

 woody. Seeds reniform or obovid, sometimes arillate ; albumen scanty, 

 often mucilaginous or 0; embryo curved; cotyledons leafy, usually 



147 



