MALVACEiE. 1G7 



attainable, and to hold an every-day object in slight estimation. The musk-like scent 

 of this species distinguishes it from the rest, though it is but slight. The Musk 

 Mallow, like tlie Anemone, closes its petals at night ; in floral language, it is regarded ■ 

 as the emblem of a sweet, mild disposition ; and we read that it was customary with 

 the ancieuts to plant Musk JIallows around the graves of their departed friends. 



' P 

 SPECIES II.— M ALVA SYLVESTRIS. Linn. 'ic^^a-H 



Plate CCLXXXI. 



^^ Miir: 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Malv. Tab. CLXVIII. Fig. 4840. -■ --^ ' 



M. vulgaris, " Tenore, Syll. p. 336, Gr. & Godr. (non Fries)." 



Stem ascending or decumbent. Leaves (except the lowest) with 

 5 or 7 shallow lobes (the middle one the longest) ; all the lobes 

 triangular or rounded, irregularly crenate-serrate. Fruit peduncles 

 spreading, longer than the calyx. Epicalyx of 3 oblong-lanceolate 

 leaves, two-thirds the length of the sepals. Calyx with 5 ovate- 

 deltoid lobes, connivent and not enlarged when in fruit. Petals 

 twice or thrice as long as the calyx. Carjiels glabrous, with the 

 sides forming a sharp angle with the flat back, which is reticulated, 

 the sides radiatingly wrinkled and surrounded by a margin sepa- 

 rated from the disk by an elevated line. 



In roadsides and waste places. Very common throughout England 

 and the South of Scotland, but rare and confined to the sea coast 

 in the northern part of the latter country, where it does not occur 

 further North than Moray. 



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



Stems numerous, spreading, 2 to 3 feet long, pyramidally 

 branched in luxuriant specimens. Root leaves 2 to 4 inches across, 

 roundish, deeply cordate at the base, plaited, with very shallow 

 rounded crenate lobes ; stem leaves becoming smaller, having the 

 lobes deeper and the central one more prominent, more distinctly 

 serrate, and with shorter petioles as they are placed higher up on 

 the stem. Elowers in elongated irregular racemes with numerous 

 peduncles from each node,insizeltol finches across. Petals often four 

 times as long as the calyx, pale purple with 3 or 5 broad dark purple 

 bands united at the base, more rarely white with pale purple bands, 

 obovate-wedgeshaped, eraarginate with 2 rounded lobes at the apex. 

 Carpels brownish-olive, irregularly honeycombed on the back, which 

 meets the sides in a continuous not denticulated line. Plant deep 

 green, with the root leaves having often a purple blotch at the base. 

 Plant sparingly hairy, with the hairs more numerouson the peduncles, 

 margins of the leaves of the epicalyx, and on the sepals. 



Common Malloio. 



French, Jfauve Sauva'je. German, Wilde Kdsepappel. 



