Mallow Family 247 



tered flowers. Calyx 5-cleft. Bractlets of the involucre 

 3, rarely none. Petals 5. Ovary many-celled ; cells 

 1-ovuled i style branches of the same number, linear, 

 stigmatic along the inner side. Carpels arranged in a 

 circle, beakless, indehiscent, 1 -seeded. 



1. M. parviflora L. Glabrous or sparingly hairy annual, 

 with erect or ascending stems, 2-10 dm. high ; leaves rounded, 

 slightly 5-7-lobed, crenate, 3-10 cm. broad ; pedicels short ; bract- 

 lets linear ; calyx accrescent, the broadly lobed limb rotately 

 spreading away from the mature fruit ; petals white or pale blue, 

 about equaling the calyx-lobes ; achenes glabrous or pubescent, 

 transversely and sharply rugose on the back, the acute winged 

 margins distinctly toothed. 



A common vernal weed. 



2. M. pusilla Smith. Much resembling the last in foliage 

 and habit; pedicels somewhat longer ; calyx-lobes mostly closed 

 over the fruit ; petals bluish, 10-15 mm. long, surpassing the calyx- 

 lobes ; achenes reticulate-rugose, the margins acute, entire. 



Known within our region only from low ground along Ballona Creek, 

 near Mesmer. 



3. SID ALOE A Gray. 



Erect annual or (ours) perennial herbs with mostly 

 palmately or pedately parted or deeply cleft leaves, 

 small stipules, and purple or pink or sometimes white 

 rather showy flowers, in terminal racemes or spikes, not 

 rarely polygamous by the abortion of the anthers. In- 

 volucre rarely present. Calyx 5-cleft. Petals 5, com- 

 monly emarginate or truncate. Staminal column usu- 

 ally distinctly double, the exterior series of 5 distinct 

 4-10-antheriferous phalanges, the inner or terminal one 

 of about 10 mostly 2-antheriferous phalanges. Carpels 

 5-9, reniform, indehiscent, 1-seeded. 



1. S. malvaeflora (Moc. & Sesse) Gray. Hirsute or stems 

 and petioles hispid with few-forked and some simple hairs; stems 

 ascending or erect from decumbent base, 2-6 dm. high, from a 

 thick stock or root, simple ; basal leaves rounded crenate-incised, 



