128 



MALLOWS. COTTON. 



85. The FAMILY or UMBELLI'FER,E is composed of plants of 

 the class Epipeta'lese, the flowers of which are very small, and 

 arranged in an umbel. One of the most remarkable genera of 

 this group is that of the tomlocks (fig- 156), the poisonous 

 action of which is very powerful. Several species are known ; 

 the spotted hemlock Coni'um macvla'tum has a cylindrical, 

 fistulous stem, longitudinally striated, branching, and marked at 

 its inferior part with irregular spots of a dark purple, which are 

 also seen on the leaves ; these are very large, three-lobed, and 

 of a very deep green ; the whole plant diffuses a strong odour, 

 especially when rubbed between the fingers. This hemlock is 

 biennial, and grows in stony places, near hedges. 



86. The Carrot, Fennel, Angelica, Anis, Assafatida, Am- 

 moniac, Galbanum, and several other plants which are not at 

 all poisonous, belong to this family. 



87. The FAMILY OF MAL- 

 VA'CE^ the type of which is the 

 marsh-mallows (figure 157), be- 

 longs to the class of Hypopeta'lese; 

 its principal characters are a mono- 

 se'palous calyx with from three to 

 five divisions, and a corolla with 

 five petals adhering, at their base, 

 to the filaments of the stamens, 

 which are united into a tube (fg. 

 110). The uniform character of 

 the mallow tribe is to abound in 

 mucilage, and to be totally desti- 

 tute of all unwholesome qualities. 



88. The most important plants 

 of this family are the cotton trees, 

 the fruit of which furnishes the 

 texible (weaveable) material, known 

 under the name of cotton. Many 

 species of this genus are known : 

 one called herbaceous cotton, varies much in its appearance ; some- 

 times it is an herbaceous annual plant growing scarcely beyond 

 eighteen or twenty inches in height ; at other times a shrub from 

 four to six feet high, the stem of which is ligneous and perennial 

 at its lower part. This cotton tree grows in Egypt, Syria, and 



85. What are the general characters of hemlock ? To what class and 

 family does it belong ? 



86. Name some of the plants of this family. 



87. How is the family of Malva'ceee characterized ? 



88. What is cotton ? What part of the plant furnishes cotton ? How 

 is the cotton wool separated from the seeds ? 



Fig. 157. MARSH MALLOW. 



