416 



MALVACEAE. 



[VOL. II. 



2. MALVA L. Sp. PI. 687. 1753. 



Pubescent or glabrate herbs, with dentate lobed or dissected leaves, and axillary or ter- 

 minal solitary or clustered perfect flowers. Calyx 5-cleft. Bractlets of the involucels 3 

 (rarely none). Petals 5. Stamen-column anther-bearing at the summit Cavities of the 

 ovary several or numerous, i-ovuled; style-branches of the same number, linear, stigmatic 

 along the inner side. Carpels arranged in a circle, i-seeded, beakless, indehiscent. Seed 

 ascending. [Greek, referring to the emollient leaves.] 



About 30 species, natives of the Old World. In addition to the following, another is natural- 

 ized in California. 



Leaves with 5-3 shallow angular lobes. 



Petals 2-4 times the length of the calyx. 

 Petals 1-2 times the length of the calyx. 

 Procumbent, low. 

 Erect, tall. 

 Leaves deeply s-y-lobed. 



Stem-leaves i-3-pinnatifid; carpels downy. 

 Stem-leaves deeply lobed; carpels glabrous. 



i. Malva sylvestris L,. High Mallow. 

 (Fig. 2415.) 



Malva syli'tstris L. Sp. PI. 689. 1753. 



Biennial, erect or ascending, branched, pubescent 

 with loose spreading hairs, or glabrate. Leaves 

 orbicular, or reniform, i^'-4' wide, with 5-9 shallow 

 angular or rounded lobes, crenate-dentate, truncate or 

 cordate at the base; petioles 2'-6' long; flowers reddish- 

 purple, i'-i%' broad, in axillary clusters; pedicels 

 slender; petals 2-4 times as long as the calyx; carpels 

 about 10, flat on the back, rugose-reticulate. 



In waste places and along roadsides, sparingly adventive 

 from Europe in the I'nited States, Canada and Mexico. 

 Native also of Siberia. Summer. English names, Com- 

 mon Mallow, Cheese-flower, Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, 

 Round Dock, Maul. 



1. M. sylvestris. 



2. .!/. rotundifolia. 



3. M. verticillata. 



4. M. moschata. 



5. M. Alcea. 



2. Malva rotundifdlia L/. 

 Low, Dwarf or Running Mal- 

 low. Cheeses. (Fig. 2416.) 



M. rotundifolia L. Sp. PI. 688. 1753. 

 Annual or biennial, procumbent 

 and spreading from a deep root, 

 branched at the base, stems 4'-! 2' 

 long. Leaves orbicular-reniform, 

 i '-3' wide, cordate, with 5-9 broad 

 shallow dcntate-crenate lobes; peti- 

 oles slender, 3 / -6 / long; flowers 

 clustered in the axils, pale blue, 4"- 

 7" broad; pedicels 6 // -i5 // long; 

 petals about twice the length of the 

 ovate acute calyx-lobes; carpels 

 about 15, rounded on the back, 

 pubescent. 



In waste places, common throughout our territory, and widely distributed as a weed in other 

 temperate regions. Naturalized from Europe. Native also of western Asia. English names, 

 Dutch-cheese, Doll or Fairy Cheeses, Pellas. May-Nov. 



