FLAX TRIBE 133 



2. Flax-seed (EadioJa). 



Thyme-leaved Flax-seed (li. Unoides).—ljca.vos distant, egg-shaped, 

 entire, smooth ; flowers solitary, on short stalks. Plant annual. This is not 

 at all a common plant, though occurring in many parts of our island. It is 

 one of the smallest of our wild flowers. Sir William Hooker and Dr. Arnott 

 remark of the leaves, that when under the microscope, they are seen to be 

 dotted. The flowers are white, growing among the foliage, but they would 

 hardly be observed were they not so numerous. They expand in July and 

 August. Moist boggy soils, and lands in which gravel prevails, are the 

 places on which we must look for this Flax-seed, which, from its small size, 

 is doubtless often passed by without being seen. 



Order XVI. MALVACEiE— MALLOW TRIBE. 



Sepals 5, more or less united at the base, valvate in bud, and often 

 inclosed in an outer calyx ; petals 5, twisted while in bud ; stamens 

 numerous, and united by their filaments into a tube ; ovary formed of 

 several carpels united in a radiate manner ; styles of the same number as 

 the carpels, either distinct or united ; capsules 1 -seeded, placed in a whorl 

 round the style ; leaves alternate, with stipules. This Order contains a large 

 number of shrubs and herbaceous plants ; most of them are clothed with 

 down, and the kidney-shaped 1 -celled anthers are found in all. All the 

 species abound in a nutritious mucilage, and no plant among them possesses 

 any unwholesome properties. This mucilage is extracted from some by 

 stewing, and is valuable as a medicine ; and several of the mallow tribe are 

 useful as food. The young heads of the Hibiscus esculenfus, the Ochra of 

 eastern countries, are much valued as an ingredient in soups ; and the 

 Almtihn esciilentum serves the same purpose in Brazil. Several of the Hibiscus 

 tribe aftbrd excellent medicines ; and the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the Shoe- 

 flower of the East Indies, its juice being used instead of blacking. In China 

 it is also employed for dyeing the hair black, while the seeds of several other 

 species are used as coffee ; but the most valuable plant of the tribe is the 

 Gossypium, the Cotton-plant, which aftbrds the cotton of our manufactures. 

 This substance is the downy investiture of the seeds. 



1. Mallow (Mdlva). — Styles numerous ; outer calyx 3-leaved ; inner 

 5-cleft. Name from the Greek malacM, soft, from their emollient mucilage. 



2. Tree Mallow {LavaUra). — Styles numerous ; outer calyx 3-lolicd ; 

 inner 5-cleft. Named in honour of the two Lavaters, Swiss physicians. 



3. Marsh Mallow (AWum). — Styles numerous; outer calyx 6 — 9 

 cleft. Name from the Greek d'/Iio, to cure, from its healing nature. 



1. Mallow (Mdlva). 



1. Common Mallow (M. sylvHris). — Stem ascending, or erect ; root- 

 leaves kidney-shaped, with seven acute lobes ; fruit-stalks erect ; fruit not 

 downy, wrinkled. Plant perennial. 



Everyone knows our Common Mallow, Marsh or Mash-mallow, as country 



