MALVAGEM. 



87 



indefinite number of carpels. The calyx is gamosepalous and quin- 

 quefid, and its lobes are arranged in the bud in valvate prsefloration, 

 often a little reduplicate. The petals at their base are united among 

 themselves and with the lower part of the androceum. They fall 

 in a single piece as gamopetalous corollas do, and they are contorted 

 in praefloration. The stamens are indefinite in number 1 and mona- 



Jtlalva sylvestris. 



Fig. 135. 



Longitudinal section of flower (^). 



Fig. 136. 

 Diagram. 



delphous. Their filaments form a tube surrounding the gyna^ceum, 

 and which in its upper part as far as the apex, is divided into as 

 many small tongues as there are anthers. These are reniform, one- 

 celled, 2 extrorse, dehiscing by a longitudinal cleft. 3 The ovary is 

 superior. Its cells are verticillate all round the upper part of the 

 floral receptacle; and they are surmounted by a style more or less 



1 According to Payee {Organog., 32), the an- 

 droceum is formed of ten series of stamens often 

 superposed in pairs to the petals, each series 

 being capable of deduplication since the pieces 

 of each of them deduplicate, the evolution of 

 the stamens being carried on from within out- 

 wardly (or from above downwards) in each series. 



2 The rudiment of the partition which is ob- 

 served in their interior represents, not the sepa- 

 ration of the two cells, but the projection more 



or less complete, which is produced earlier be- 

 tween the two parts of the same cell, and is 

 afterwards more or less completely reabsorbed. 



3 The pollen is formed of spherical and spiked 

 grains. It is also remarkable for its round pores 

 irregularly scattered, and a punctuate external 

 membrane. The pores and the spikes are nu- 

 merous and small in size in most species of Malta, 

 Althcea, Sida, Lavatera, Napceatmd Gossypium. 

 (H. Mohl, iu Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 2, iii. 331.) 



