MALVACEAE. (MALLOW FAMILY.) 179 



Var. arguta, Post. Leaves acutely dentati- — Tripoli. Banias. 



I I Leaves round, 'S-5-Jid &r parted, the divisions acutely cut-loled. 



6. M. oxyloba, Boiss. .8 to .4, nearly glabrous. PeduDcles 

 short, sjjreadino- in fruit ; bractlets awl-shaped; calyx-lobes ovate- 

 triangular, growing and spreading in fruit —Weedy places ; less 

 common than the others. Perhaps a variety of the last. 



5. SIDA, L. SiDA. 



Bractlets 0. Calyx 5-fid. Styles connate ; stigmas truncate or ca- 

 pitate. Carpels whorled, muticous or beaked, dehiscent or 2-valved at 

 top, naked within — Herbs or shrubs with yellow flow^ers. 



S. rliombifolia, L. 11 or 5 -o to 1, glabrescent or sparingly 

 velvety. L aves rhombic-obovate to oblong, crenate or crenate-dentate ; 

 stipules setaceous. Calyx-tube angled ; carpels biaristate — Spring — 

 Sinai. 



6. MAI^VELLiA, Jaub. et Spach. Malvella. 



Bractlets 3, free. Calyx 5-lid. Styles distinct ; stigmas capitate, 

 club-shaped. Carpels inflated, membranous, indehiscent, somewhat 

 irregularly capitate above a very short torus — Perennial, prostrate 

 herbs, with aspect of Malva. 



M. Sherardiaiaa, L. .3 to .5, apiDressed-woolly, grey. 

 Leaves kidney-shaped, obsoletely lobed, crenate. Peduncles usually 

 solitary, filiform, longer than petiole ; bractlets short, setaceou. ; calyx- 

 lobes ovate ; petals pink, obovate, entire, twice as long as caiyx — 

 Spring and summer — Neglected places and roadsides ; common. 



7. ABUTIt-OlV, Gsertn. Indian Mallow. 



Bracts 0. Calyx 5-fid. Styles united ; stigmas capitate. Cells of 

 ovary 3-9-ovuled. Carpels whorled, generally numerous, 2-valved, 

 naked within, at maturity united or free at base. 



1. A. frutico§uiii, Guill. et Perr. 5 Appressed-velvety ; 

 branches stiff, erect. Leaves cordate-ovate, crenate-toothed or entire. 

 Peduncles 1-flowered, longer than petiole ; flowers small ; petals twice 

 as long as calyx ; carpels 8-10, velvety, united at base, truncate at apex, 

 angled at outer border, nearly muticous — Early summer — Rocks ; 

 Sinai ; around Dead Sea. 



2. A. muticimi, Del. 5 ^ or more, densely woolly, canescent. 

 Leaves large, round-ovate cordate, more or less acuminjite, crenate-den- 

 tate. Peduncles usually shorter than petiole ; petals twice as long as 

 calyx ; carpels 25-30, hairy, with round, muticous back, at length sepa- 

 rating from axis, and hanging ly nerves — Spring — Around Dead Sea. 



8. HIBISCUS, L. Rose-Mallow. Hibiscus. Ekutmi. 



Bractlets numerous, usually narrow. Calyx 5-fid. Branches of style 

 5, dilated into a capitate stigma. Ovary 5-celled, cells 3-many-ovuled. 

 Capsule membranous, or more or less leathery — Shrubs or herbs. 



* Calyx not inflated. Seeds icoolly. 

 1. H. ovalifoliu§; Vahl. 5 Scabrous with scattered, stellate 

 hairs ; branches wand-like. Leaves small, ovate, obtuse, acutely dentate. 



