THALAMIFLOR.^ 155 



There are about seven hundred species and 

 thirty-five or more genera in this group, which are 

 found in Temperate and Tropical countries. 



Two groups are recognised, one in which the 

 carpels are in vertical rows, e.g, Malope, often culti- 

 vated as a garden plant, the other in which they are 

 in one plane. To the last belongs the Mallow group, 

 with as many styles as carpels, including, in addition 

 to the British types, Abutilon and Anoda ; the 

 Ureneae, with twice as many styles as carpels, includ- 

 ing Urena, Goethea, and Pavonia ; and the Hibiscese, 

 with capsular fruits (the two former having schizo- 

 carps), including Hibiscus and Gossypium, the Cotton 

 plant. The Hollyhock is a well-known garden flower. 



These plants are herbaceous, or shrubs or trees. 

 The leaves are alternate and possess deciduous sti- 

 pules, except the Tree-mallow, in the Malvaceae, 

 with three or more nerves at the base, with stellate 

 or branching hairs. 



The flowers are either solitary or in compound 

 cymes. They are regular and hermaphrodite. The 

 parts are usually in fives. There is an epicalyx in 

 some cases, that is, a bundle of bracteoles ; or it may 

 be of a stipular nature. The calyx is inferior and 

 gamosepalous with five sepals, and valvate in bud, 

 with an epicalyx of three or more bracteoles united 

 at the base. The petals are asymmetrical and five in 

 number, and adnate to the base of the column, 

 twisted in bud, sometimes oblique. There are many 

 monadelphous stamens, which are hypogynous and 



