A L C 



A L C 



chaped, the length of ihe germ, and terminated 

 l)y a stigma IVoiii the angles ol' the style roimded 

 at the tip. It iloweis in May. 



Ill the tilth the root-leaves are lew, linear-fili- 

 forni, upright at bottom, then spiral, and when 

 the plant is more mature, flexuose, \ illose-sca- 

 brous, shorter than the seape, which is simple, 

 iililorm, flexuose, nodding at the top, streaked, 

 viliose-scahrous, of a linger's length, seldom a 

 span long after flo\\cring, one-fiowered, seldom 

 two-flowered. The bractea laneeolate, aeuniinate, 

 shorter ihan the peduncle. There are three iila- 

 xnents without anihercc. 



Thev are all natives of the Cape- 



Ci/liure. — 'l"hc best method of propagating 

 these plants, is bv means of offsets from the 

 roots, which should be taken after the plants 

 have flowered in the summer months. These 

 are then to be planted out in pots tilled with 

 good liiiht mould, and placed imder the protec- 

 tion of hot-bed frames daring the winter season. 

 In this way they mostlv succeed and jiroducc 

 flowers. But it is a better practice, w here tiie 

 convenience of a border can be had in the front 

 of the greenhouse or stove, to plant them in the 

 natural groiuul in these situations, as in this me- 

 thod tliey both thrive better, and flower with 

 more vigour than w hen kept m pots. 



The third sort is asserted l)y JNliller to be ca- 

 pable of being raised from seeds, when they can 

 be procured from abroad, as they seldom or ever 

 ripen anv in this climate. 



The second species is also said to be of so har- 

 dy a nature, as sometimes to succeed when plant- 

 ed out on a border of light earth, in the open 

 ground. All the species are ornamental, and afford 

 variety in the greenhouse or stove. 



ALCEA, a genus including a great variety of 

 plants of the Hollyhock or Rose Mallow kind, 

 ■which are fibrous-rooted, hardy, herbaceous flow- 

 crinu perennials of tall growth. 



It belongs to the class and order of Monadel- 

 phia Polyundria, and ranks in the natural order 

 of ColumniJ free . 



Its characters are : that the calyx is double, 

 ■each one-leafed ; the outer cut half way into six 

 parts, ijcrananent and very spreading ; the imier 

 cut half way into five parts, larger and perma- 

 nent : the corolla consists of five obcordate, 

 einarginate, spreading petals, coalescing at their 

 •bases : the stamina are filaments uniting into a 

 sort of five-angled cylinder at bottom, loose at 

 top, and inserted into the corolla : the antherae 

 almost kidney-shaped ; the pistillum has a germ 

 orbicidate, style cylindric, short, stigmas about 

 twentv, setaceous, of the length of the style : the 

 periear])ium is composed of many jointed arils, 

 jn a ring round a columnar flatted receptacle, 

 I 



parting and opening on the inside: the ."seed is 

 one, flat, kidiiev-shaped, in each aril. 



The species which arccullivatcd arc ; 1 . .-1 mien. 

 Common Hollvhock; ^2. Aficifoliu, Fig-leaved 

 or I'.ihnatcd Hollyhock ; 3. A. ylj'ricanu, Afri- 

 can Hollyhock. 



In the first species the stem rises to a consi- 

 derable height, as seven or eight feet, and h;is 

 roundish leaves which are cut at their extremities 

 into angles. It grows naturally in China, froni 

 whence the seeds arc often jjrocured. On this 

 account it is sometimes known bv the title of 

 Chinese IIolKhock. The differences in the co- 

 lours of the flowers, as well as their being sinale 

 or double, are accidental, arising chiefly from 

 cultivation. 



There are many varieties of the Hollyhock : as 

 those w ith white flowers, — with cream-coloured 

 flowers, — with flesh-coloured flowers, — with pajiz 

 red-coloured flowers, — with deep red-coloured 

 flowers, — with blackish red flowers, — with pur- 

 ple-coloured flowers, — with pale vellow-colourcd 

 flowers, — with deep yellow -coloured flowers, — 

 with variegated flow ers. 



In the second species the stem likewise rises 

 much in height, as five or six feet or more, and 

 the leaves are deeply cut into six or seven seg- 

 ments, being palmaied or ha^■ingthe resemblance 

 of a hand. It is also, prohablv, a native of the 

 East, and has been brought from Istria. 



There are several varieties wit'n diflerent co- 

 lours, as in the former species: and a dwarf vari- 

 ety, with double, variegated flowers, has lately 

 been in much esteem under the title of Chinese 

 Hollyhock. 



The third species has the stem suffruticose, 

 four feet in height, upright, branched, and his- 

 pid. The leaves rough, alternate, petiolcd. The 

 flowers of a scarlet colour, lateral, on a solitary, 

 long, one-flowered peduncle. The pistil five- 

 styled. The arils five, and smooth. It is a native 

 of the eastern shore of Africa. 



Culture. — The propagation of these plants is 

 effected by seed in an easy manner. But in or- 

 der to have them double, and of the best colours, 

 as their varieties are by no means constant, the 

 seed should always be selected from the best co- 

 loured and most double flowers, as in this mode 

 most of the ])lants will produce flowers of the 

 same kind, both in colour and fullness, if all 

 such plants as aflord only single or bad-coloured 

 flowers have been carefully extirpated, and thus 

 prevented from disseminating their farina, and 

 causing them to degenerate. The seeds thus ob- • 

 tained should be preserved in their covers quite 

 dry, in order to prevent their being injured by 

 becoming mould)-, until the spring, 'i'hey should 

 then be sown upon u bgd of good light earth 



