MALVACILE. (MALLOW FA>nLT.) 9^ 



Tribe I. MAT.VEJE. Columns of stamens anthpr-bcaring at the top. Ovaries an«l 



carpels 5 - .<• .n more, closely united in a rinj,' aroiiii<l a central axis, from which they 

 separate after ripening. 

 * Stigmas occupying the inner face of the styles ; carpels l-see<lod, falling away scparilcly. 



1. Althzea. Involucel of G to 9 bractlets. 



2. Malva. Involucel of 3 bractlets. Petals obconlatc. Carpels rounded, ln»Qklc«s. 



3. Callirrhoe. Involucel of 1- 3 bractlets or none. Petals truncate. Cari)«ls Ix-akod. 



4. Napsea. Involucel none Flowers dioecious. Stamensfew (15 -20). Carpels bcukless. 



» * Stigmas terminal, capitate; carpels 1 - few-.seeded, usually dehiscent. 



5. Malvastrum. luvolucelof 3 bractlets or none. Seed solitary, filling the cell, ascending. 



6. Si<1a< Involucel none. Seed solitary in the cells, pendulous. 



7. Sphceralcea. Bractlets 3. Seeds 2 or 3 in each celL 



8. Abutilon* Involucel none. Seeds 3 - 9 in each cell. 



9. Mofliola. Bractlets 3. Seeds 2 in each cell, with a transverse partition between them. 

 Tribe II. HIBISCE>3S. Column of stamens anther-bearing for a considerabfo part of 



its length, naked and 5-toothed at the veiy apex. Pod mostly &-celled, loculicidal, 

 leaving scarcely any axis in the centre after opening. 



10. Kosteletzkya. Involucel of several bractlets. Pod 5-celled, 5-seeded. 



11. Hibiscus. Involucel of many bractlets. Pod 5-ceLled, many-seeded. 



1. ALTHiSA, L. Marsh-Mallow. 



Calyx surrounded by a 6 - 9-cleft involucel. (Otherwise as in Malva. (Old 

 Greek and Latin name, from &\du}, to cure, in allusion to its healing properties.) 



A. officinXlis, L. (Marsh-Mallow.) Stem erect, 2-i° hi^h; leaves 

 ovate or sliglitly heart-shaped, toothed, sometimes 3-lobed, velvety -downy ; 

 peduncles axillary, many-flowered ; flowers pale rose-color. — Salt marshes, 

 coast of N. Kng. and N. Y. Aug., Sept. — l^erennial root thick, abounding 

 in mucilage, the basis of the Pates de Guimauve. (Nat. from Eu.) 



2. MALVA, L. Mallow. 



CaJyx wtth a 3-leaved involucel at the base, like an outer calvx. Petals ob- 

 cordate. Styles numerous, stigmatic down the inner side. Fruit deprtss.scd, 

 separating at maturity into as many 1 -seeded and indehiscent round kidney- 

 shaped blunt carpels as there are styles, Hadicle ]K)inting downward. (An 

 old Latin name, from the Greek name, jxaKaxv, having allusion to the eanol- 

 lieut leaves.) 



* Flowers fascicled in the axils. 



M. rotdndif6lia, L. (Commov Mallow.) Stems procumhent from a 

 deep biennial root ; leaves round-heart-shaped, on very long petioles, rrenate, 

 ol)scureli/-lohed ; petals twice the length of the calyx, wliitish ; carpels pul>e9- 

 cent, even. — Waysides and cultivated grounds; common. (Nat. from Ku.) 



M. SYLVESTUis, L. (IlioH M.) Biennial; strtn erect, branrhrd (2-3° 

 high); leaves sharpli/ r^-l-lohed ,- petals thrice the length oi the calvx, large, 

 purple and rose-color; carpels wrinkled-veiny. — Waysi<les. (Adv. from Ku.) 



M. cnfsi'A, L. (CiRLKi) M.) A tall, erect annual, with round and angled 

 toothed and crisped leaves, and small sessile Jloirers crowded in tlie axils. — 

 Sparingly escaped from old gardens. (Adv. from Lu.) 



* * Flowers only in the upper axils, somewhat racemose or panicttlate. 



M. moschXta, L. (Mi'SK M.) a low perennial, with the strm-lcnves 

 b-parted,and the divisions once or twice parted or rhft into linear lobes, faintly 

 musky-scented, the //o«rrs rose-color or white (l^'in diameter) on short pe- 

 duncles crowded on the stem and branches, the fruit downy. — Escaped iiosti 

 gardens to waysides. (Adv. from Eu.) 



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