206 



XXXVII. MALVACEAE. 



MALTA. 



C. JAPONICA. Tea Plant. Japan Rose. Dvs. ovate, acuminate, acutely ser- 

 rate, glabrous and shining on both sides, coriaceous and firm, on short petioles; 

 fls. terminal and mostly solitary ; pet. obovate, of a firm texture ; sta. about 50, 

 mostly changed to petals in cultivation ; stig. unequally 5-cleft. A lofty tree in 

 Japan, its native country, a splendid flowering shrub with us, of difficult culti- 

 vation, requiring protection in our climale. Flowers varying from white to 

 red, resembling the rose but wanting its fragrance. Over 300 varieties are 

 enumerated. 



ORDER XXXVII. MALVACEAE. MALLOWS. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees, with alternate, stipulate, divided leaves. Hairs stellate or none. 



Fls. axillary, showy, regular, often with an involucel at the base. 



Cal. Sepals generally 5, more or less united at base, valvate in aestivation. 



Cor. Petals equal in number to the sepals, hypogynous. 



Sta. indefinite, monadelphous. Anthers 1-celled, bursting transversely. 



Ova. of several carpels arranged in one or more rows around a common axis. 



Sty. as many as the carpels, either united or distinct. 



Fr. capsular or baccate ; carpels one or more-seeded, united or distinct. 



Sds. sometimes (as in Gossypium) hairy. Embryo curved. 



Genera 37, species 1000. A somewhat important class of plants, forming about one-fiftieth of all tha 

 flowering plants of tropical valleys. But few are natives of the temperate, and none of the frigi'l zone. 

 In the Northern States they are all herbs. The most important product of the order is cotton. 



Properties. Generally abounding in mucilage, and destitute of any deleterious qualities. 



FIG 41. l. Hibiscus Trionum. 2. Cross section of the flower, showing the arrangement of its parts. 

 3. Cross section of the 5-celled capsule. 4. Capsule open by its 6 valves. 5. Malva sylvestris. 6. Its 

 fruit consisting of 10 carpels arranged in a circle. 7. Section of one of the carpels showing the curved 

 embryo. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



are nearly distinct Malva. l 



are united Lavatera. 3 



Capsule 3 5-celled Gossypiu/jn. 2 



Carpels 00, distinct Malope. 6 



united , Althcca. 4 



nearly distinct Hibiscus. 5 



Cells 3 6-seeded. Abutilon. 7 



Cells l-seeded Sida. 8 



("of 3 oblong bracteoles which 

 I of 3 cordate bracteoles. 

 I of 615 bracteoles which are 

 In trolucel ^ wanting. Carpels united. 



1. MALVA. 



G/T. [ia\a%q, soft ; on account of the soft mucilaginous properties. 



Calyx 5-cleft, the involucel mostly 3-leaved ; carpels 00 ; 1-celled, 

 l-seeded, indehiscent, arranged circularly. 



1. M. ROTUNDIFOLIA. Low Mallow. 



St. prostrate; Ivs. roundish, cordate, obtusely 5-1 obed ; ped. in fruit re- 

 flexed ; cor. twice as long as the calyx. ij. Common in cultivated grounds. 

 Root fusiform. Stems numerous, a foot or more long. Leaves of a fine, deli- 

 cate texture, somewhat reniform, crenate, with 5 7 shallow lobes, and on long, 

 hairy stalks. Peduncles axillary, aggregate. Petals pale pink, deeply notched. 

 Fruit depressed-globose, composed of the numerous carpels arranged circularly. 

 The child sportively calls them cheeses, a name which their form very naturally 

 suggests. Jn. Oct. $ 



2. M. SYLVESTRIS. High, Mallow. (Fig. 41, 5.) 



St. erect ; Ivs. 5 7-lobed, labcs ratker acute ; ped. and petioles hairy. 



