THE MALLOWS 



147 



NV' \' 



1 1 249. Flower of cot t on . N ote 

 * the stamens; also the in- 

 volucre or "square" on 

 the bud. 



298. Mallow Flowers. The 

 flowers of the mallow family are 

 well represented in single holly- 

 hocks (Figs. 222, 223) and in the 

 little plant (Fig. 248) known as 

 "cheeses." A peculiar structure 

 is the part formed by the united 

 filaments, the inclosed styles and 

 the ring of ovaries at the bottom 

 of the style-tube. The flower is 

 5-merous. Count the ovaries. 

 They sit on the torus, but are 

 united in the center by the base 

 of the style-tube, which forms a 

 cone-shaped body 



y /*' 



that separates f \\ 

 from the torus when the fruit is 

 ripe. Do all of the ovaries de- 

 velop, or are some crowded out 

 in the struggle for exis- 

 tence? 



299. The calyx in 

 such flowers is often 

 reinforced by bracts, 

 which look like an extra 

 calyx. These bracts form 

 an involucre. An invo- 

 lucre is a circle or whorl 

 of bracts standing just 

 below a flower or a 

 flower-cluster. The umbel 

 of wild carrot (Fig. 194) 

 has an involucre below 

 it. A large family of 



, , 250. A lady's-slipper, to illustrate the 



plants known as the orchid family. 



