MALLOWS FLAX. 65 



united into a single "brotherhood," and its leaves are musk- 

 scented, and divided into deeply cut lobes. The common 

 Mallow begins to flower in June, and the other two in July; 

 they flower through August and September. 



A near relation of this is the Tree Mallow (Lavatera arborea, 

 Plate V.,fig. 2), the most stately-flowering in our Flora. Fanny 

 treasures it in memory of a pleasant trip to Looe Island, off 

 the coast of Cornwall, near the two small towns from whence 

 it takes its name. The channel between the island and main- 

 land is narrow and shallow ; and is rendered very dangerous 

 for vessels, except at high water, by a rock which rises mid- 

 way called "Brown Meg." A schooner was stranded there 

 when Fanny and her friends crossed ; and though she was 

 afterwards set afloat again, yet the loss by injury to her cargo, 

 &c., was very serious. They wandered over Looe Island, 

 from its commanding peak to its rocky shore, where the 

 crevices were crowned with the proud form of the Tree Mallow. 

 The leaves of this plant are dull green, and of soft velvety 

 texture, and its purple flowers are shaded almost to black in 

 the centre, while the brotherhood of light stamens stands 

 prominently out from the deep dark cup. Some of the plants 

 were six or eight feet high. 



The Marsh Mallow (Althsea officinalis, Plate V., fig. 2), 

 grows in swampy ground on the coast of Kent ; its foliage is 

 of the same dull hue as that of the Tree Mallow, and its tall 

 upright stems are clothed with velvety hair. Its blossoms 

 are clustered and of a very pale pink, and the stamens are 

 crimson. This plant abounds more in the softening mucilage 

 so valuable in medicine than any other of the order ; it is sold 

 in a dried state, and an infusion made from it for rheumatic 

 and neuralgic pains, and for sore throats ; and from the juice 

 cough lozenges are made. 



In passing from the Mallow to the FLAX order we exchange 

 cotton for linen, and lose sight of the coloured half-clothed 

 cultivators in contemplating European Flax fields. In this 



F 



