57 2 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: BOTANY. 



4. MALVASTRUM A. Gray. 



Herbs, with the bracteoles small, 13 or none ; and stamina! column 

 antheriferous up to the top. Ovary 5-many-carpellary, the cells i-ovuled. 

 Style branches distinct, filiform or clavate. Mericarps with beaked tips. 

 Seed ascending, reniform. 



Species 75, Amer. and S. Africa ; 2 species tropically cosmopolitan. 



M. SULPHUREUM (Gill) Griseb. (Sida sulphurea Torr. & Gr.) 



Covered by stellate hairs and silvery scales. Stems branching, erect or 

 fastigiate. Leaves suborbicular-cordate or reniform, obscurely lobed ; 

 Petioles of upper leaves shorter than the limb; of lower, longer; stipules 

 linear. Flowers solitary in the axils. Bracteoles subulate. Corolla 4 

 cm. in diam., yellow (greenish when dry), marked by 6 rows of stellate hairs, 

 outside. 



Patagon., by Rio Negro; by Golfo de San Jorge. 



5. PLAGIANTHUS Forst. 



Mostly shrubs, with small, whitish flowers, axillary or in terminal spikes 

 or panicles. Bracteoles none or remote. Ovary 2-5-celled ; cells i- 

 ovuled ; as many style-branches, stigmatose inwards. Ripe carpels 

 abortively solitary, or separating from the axis ; often indehiscent. Seed 

 pendulous. 



Species 7, Australia, New Zealand, and the following in Chili. 



P. PULCHELLUS (Bonpl.) A. Gray. 



Glabrous; leaves rather long-petioled, cordate-ovate to lanceolate, 

 coarsely crenate. Flowers dioecious, conglomerate in axillary racemes, 

 small. Calyx of males broad-campanulate, of females subglobose. 



(Province of Talcao, Chili, 35 S. Lat.) Patagonia? Also in Tasmania 

 and S. E. Australia, "whence it originates." 



6. SIDA Linn. 



Mostly no bracteoles. Staminal column antheriferous at the top. Car- 

 pels 5-many, i-ovuled. Style-branches stigmatic at the top. Carpels 

 indehiscent or at length apically 2-valved. Seed pendulous. 



Species 75, in warm climates. 



