476 MALVACEA. 
less divided in a palmate manner (fig. 324), stipulate. Flowers 
regular, usually axillary, and often surrounded by an involucre 
or epicalyx (jigs. 470 and 917). Sepals usually 5 (figs. 470 and 
917), rarely 5 or 4, more or less united (fig. 470) ; with valvate 
or some form of circular estivation (fig. 917). Petals hypogy- 
nous, equal in number to the divisions of the calyx (fig. 917), 
with a twisted zstivation, either attached to the column formed 
by the united stamens (jig. 918) or free. Stamens hypogynous, 
numerous, monadelphous (figs. 549 and 918) ; anthers 1-celled, 
IDie, Oily Fie 918. 
Fig. 917. Diagram of the flower of a species of A/alva. The three external 
lines represent bracts, which together form an epicalyx or involucre.—— 
Fig. 918. Vertical section of the flower of a Mallow. Fig. 919. Pistil of 
the same surrounded by the inferior calyx and invyolucre.——fig. 920. 
Horizontal section of the fruit of Malva sylvestris. a. Axis. pl, Placenta. 
7. An empty cell. c. Embryo with twisted cotyledons. 
reniform, with transverse dehiscence (jig. 535). Ovary superior, 
consisting of several carpels (jigs. 917 and 919), which are either 
apocarpous (fig. 919), or united so as to form a compound ovary 
with as many cells as there are carpels; placentas attached to 
the ventral sutures when the carpels are apocarpous (fig. 920, 
pl), or axile when the ovary is compound ; styles equalling the 
carpels in number (fig. 919), united or distinct. ruit either a 
carcerule, that is, consisting of a number of 1-celled, indehiscent 
