H}-2 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



GENUS I— A L T H E A. Zinn. 



Epicalys of 6 to 9 leaves, which are nearly equal and united 

 together at the hase. Calyx 5-cleft. Fruit depressed-orbicular ; 

 the carpels equalling or exceeding the axis or torus, separating 

 when ripe as 1-seeded indehiscent cocca. 



Tonientose or hairy herbs with the leaves palmately cleft or 

 partite. Flowers purple or rose, solitary and axillary, or in fascicles 

 in the axils of the leaves, frequently collected so as to form terminal 

 racemes or corymbs. 



The name of this genus of plants comes from the Greek word a\6eiv (althein), to 

 heal, in allusion to the virtues of some of the species. 



SPECIES I.— ALTHEA HIRSUTA. Linn. 

 Plate CCLXXVII. 

 Jieich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Mah. Tab. CCXXII. Fig. 4846. 



Annual, Avilh no rootstock. Lower leaves 5-lobed ; upper ones 

 3-partite, with the lateral divisions deeply cleft ; all with distant 

 stellate hairs and long simple ones. Pedicels simple, solitary, longer 

 than the leaves from which they spring when in fruit. Sepals 

 glabrous, ciliated on the margins and the midrib with long simple 

 hairs. Petals scarcely longer than the sepals. Carpels wrinkled 

 oa the margins, glabrous. 



On the borders of fields. Very rare, and no doubt introduced. 

 By the side of Cobham Park, directly North of Cuxton church. 



[England]. Annual. Summer and Autumn. 



Stems numerous, erect or ascending, slightly branched, 3 inches 

 to 2 feet high. Lower leaves stalked, roundish-reniform, 1 to If 

 inch across, with 6 shallow rounded crenate lobes ; as they are 

 placed higher on the stem, the separation between the lobes 

 becomes deeper, the lobes themselves more acute, and instead of 

 crenate they become crenate-serrate ; higher still, the separation 

 between the lobes extends till the lobes become 3-partite, with the 

 lateral lobes 2-cleft ; and the uppermost of all are tripartite, with 

 linear entire lobes. Flowers pale purplish-pink, about 1 inch across, 

 in a simple regular raceme. Epicalyx of 6 to 9 linear triangular 

 segments, more than half as long as the sepals. Sepals lanceolate- 

 acuminate, 8-nerved, Avith the lateral nerves only visible at the base, 

 reticulated between the nerves, tuberculate upon the nerves and 

 margins, ^ith long hairs proceeding from the tubercles. Petals 

 obovate, with the sides nearly straight, the apex truncate or slightly 



