MALVACEAE. 57 



Herbs, trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, more or less di- 

 vided, stipulate. 



1. MALVA, Linn, 

 



Calyx surrounded by a 3, rarely 5 6-leaved involucre. 



Bracts oblong or setaceous. Capsules numerous, 1-celled, 

 1-seeded, arranged circularly. Monadelphia. Polyandria. 



1. M. sylvestris Linn. : stem erect, herbaceous, branched, hairy ; 

 leaves large, roundish, with 7 somewhat acute lobes ; flowers large, 

 axillary, on short pedicels ; pedicels and petioles hairy ; petals obcor- 

 date, thrice as long as the calyx. 



HAB. Fields. July, Aug. If. Stem 23 feet high. Flowers 

 3 4 together, reddish-purple, veined. Introduced. 



High Mallows. 



2. M. rotundifolia Linn. : stem somewhat prostrate ; leaves roundish, 

 cordate, obtusely 5 7 lobed ; peduncles bent downwards, and with the 

 petioles pubescent ; flowers axillary ; corol twice the length of the 

 calyx. . 



HAB. Cultivated grounds. Gan. to Car. W. to Miss. June 

 Oct. If. Root fusiform. Flowers small, pink, on pedicels, 2 3 

 together. Extensively naturalized. Low Mallows* 



2. ALTHEA. Linn. 



Calyx surrounded by a 6 9 cleft involucre. Capsules nu- 

 merous, 1-seeded, arranged circularly. 



Monadelphia. Polyandria. 



A. officinalis Linn. : leaves soft tomentose on both sides, cordate- 

 and ovate, dentate, entire or 3 lobed j peduncles axillary, many flow- 

 ered, much shorter than the leaves. 



HAB. Near salt marshes. Aug. Sept. If. Stem 2 feet high. 

 Flowers large, purple. Introduced. Marsh Mallows. 



3. HIBISCUS. Linn. 



Calyx surrounded by an involucre which is often many- 

 leaved. Stigmas 5. Capsule 5-celled ; cells many seeded, 

 or rarely 1-seeded. Monadelphia. Polyandria. 



1. H. virginicus Linn. : leaves acuminate, unequally toothed, sub- 

 villose ; lower ones undivided, cordate ; upper ones ovate-cordate, 3- 

 lobed ; pedicels longer than the petiole : flowers cernuous ; pistils nod- 

 ding ; capsule hispid. H. clypeatus Walt. 



HAB. Salt marshes. N. Y. to Car. Aug. If. Stem 3 feet 

 high. Flowers in paniculate racemes, small, rose coloured. In- 

 volucre 8 9 leaved, tomentose. 



2. H. moscheutos Linn. : leaves ovate, acuminate, serrate, tomentose 

 beneath ; petioles bearing the peduncles ; calyx tomentose ; capsule 

 emooth. H. palustris Wati. 



