184 



and have far more brilliant flowers, than those 

 which grow in Europe ; but some of the species 

 that we find in our own woods and hedges are 

 very beautiful. 



In the order Polyandria, there are, according 

 to Withering, five native genera : the Marsh- 

 Mallow, Althse'a; common Mallow, Mal'va; tree 

 Mallow, Lavate'ra; the Yew-tree, Tax'us; and the 

 Fir or Pine-tree, Pinus : but the last two genera 

 are in the classes Dioecia and Monoecia of Lin- 

 naeus. 



EDWARD. 



I have seen the common Mallow so often, that I 

 should like to examine it. 



MOTHER. 



Well, then, bring m some of it, and we will go 

 through the description. You cannot fail to meet 

 with it in the next hedge. 



EDWARD. 



It looks as if there were two calyxes. [PLATE 



18.] 



MOTHER. 



It has what is called a Double calyx, or one 

 within another; and it is the structure of the outer 

 calyx, which is distinctly composed of three leaves, 

 that constitutes the principal character of the 

 genus Mal'va ; Lavate'ra having an outer cup of 



