1G6 KNGLISH BOTANY. 



Sub-glabrous herbs, undistinguisbable in habit from the other 

 British genera of Malvacese. 



The generic name is altered from /jakaxv (mcdache), soft, from the emollient nature 

 of the species. 



;<^SPECIES I.— MALVA MOSCHATA. Linn. 

 Pl.\te CCLXXX. 

 Belch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Malv. Tab. CLXIX. Fig. 48-il. 



Stem erect. Leaves (except the lowest) tripartite with the 

 lateral segments again deeply cleft ; segments not contiguous, 

 deeply piunatifid, with narrowly strap-shaped ultimate lobes. 

 Fruit peduncles erect, longer than the sepals. Epicalyx of 3 

 strap-shaped leaves, half as long as the calyx. Calyx with 5 

 ovate-deltoid lobes, erect and enlarged when in fruit. Carpels 

 with the sides gradually rounded into the back, nearly smooth, 

 hispid on the back. 



In hedgebanks and borders of fields. Generally but rather 

 sparingly distributed in England and Scotland as far North as 

 the Grampians. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 



Rootstock producing several stems 1^ to 3 feet high. Stem 

 round, frequently spotted with ^^irple. Lower leaves reniform, 2 

 to 3 inches across, 3-cleft with contiguous segments crenated at 

 the apex ; upper leaves becoming more and more deeply divided, 

 more shortly stalked, and having the middle segment becoming 

 longer in proportion to the lateral ones as they are placed higher 

 up on the stem. Stipules small, lanceolate. Elowers crowded 

 towards the top of the stem or forming a sliort raceme with usually 

 several peduncles from each node, in size 1^ to 2^ inches across, pink 

 or more rarely wliite. Peduncles variable in length, erect when in 

 fruit. Petals three or four times as long as the sepals, wedgeshaped- 

 obovate, truncate and emarginate at the apex. Carpels dark olive, 

 densely hispid on the back, which does not form an angle with the 

 sides, but is rounded off into them. Plant exhaling a faint musky 

 odour, pale green, sparingly clothed with long hairs, which aiu 

 more abundant on the peduncles and sepals. 



The deeply divided upper leaves distinguish this from all the 

 other British Malvaceae. 



Musk Malloic. 



French, Mauve Musquie. German, Jloschus Kcisepappel. 



Were thi.s pretty plant less common than it is, it woulil perhajis meet with more 

 adiuiiers j but the human mind, in its perverscness, is prone to i>nze what is IcaoL 



