Order 24.— THE MALLOWS. 



17S 



1. CLAYTO'NIA. Spring Beauty. 



Sepals 2, ovate. Petals 5, emai*ginate or obtuse. Stamens 5, inserted 

 on the claws of the petals. Stigmas 3, on 1 long style. Capsule 3-valved, 

 2-5-see(led.— They are small, fleshy, U, early-flowering herbs, arising 

 from a small tuber. 



1 C. Carolinia'na. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Sepals and petals obtuse. 



2 C. Virgin'ica. Leaves linear or Lince-liuear. Sepals acute, petals obovate. 



2. PORTULA'OA. Purselanes. 



Sepals 2. Petals 5, equal. Stamens 8-20. Styles 8-6. Pyxis lid 

 opening oflf near the middle. — Low and fleshy herbs. 



1 P. olera'cea. Common P. Leaves thick, wedge-shaped. Stem fleshy, reddish, 



prostrate. Flowers sessile, small, yellow. A common weed. Summer. 



2 P. grandiflo'ra. Great P. Leaves cylindric tmd flesliy. Stems ascending. FIs. 



large, red or scarlet. Cultivated. June. 



Order XXIY. MALYACE^. The Mallows. 



Herbs.^ shrubs., or trees.^ with alternate, stipulate, divided leaves, with the 

 flowers showy, axillary, regular, often with an involucel at the base ; 

 5 se'pals valvate and the b petals convolute in the bud, hypogynous; 

 stamens indefinite and monadelphous, the anthers splitting across; 

 carpels several, united into a ring or forming a several-ceUed capsule \ 

 seeds with a curved embryo in a little albumen. 



Fig. 411. Hibiscus Trionum (Flower-of-an-hour); 2, cross-section of tlie flower, sliowing 

 th<3 arriinafcinont of its parts; 3. cross-section of tlie 5-celled capsule; 4, capsule open by its live 

 valves ; 5, Malva sylvestris; 6, its fruit, consisting of 10 carpels arranged in a circle ; 7, section o< 

 one of the carpels, showing tlie curved embryo. 



