Malta. MALVACEAE. 



Ill 



Group G. Ovary compound, several-celled, with the placentcB in the axis; or tlie 

 numerous carpels more or less coherent icith each other, or tcith the central axis. 

 Calyx free from the ovary, with a valvate (estivation. Stamens numerous, 

 monadelphous, free, or somewhat polyadelphous, inserted with tlie petals into 

 the receptacle or base of the calyx. 



Order XXII. MALVACE^. Juss. (m part); DC. The Mallow Tribe. 



Calyx of 5 (rarely 3 or 4) sepals, which are more or less united at the base ; 

 often with an involucel, so as to appear double : asstivation valvate. Petals 

 hypogynous, as many as the sepals, twisted in aestivation. Stamens hypo- 

 gynous, usually numerous, monadelplious : anthers one-celled, reniform. 

 Ovary formed by the union of several carpels round a common axis, either 

 distmct or cohering. Styles as many as the carpels, united or distinct. Fruit 

 capsular, or rarely baccate ; carpels one- or many-seeded, sometimes closely 

 united, sometimes separate or separable ; the dehiscence loculicidal or septi- 

 cidal. Seeds with little or no albumen. Embryo curved: cotyledons twisted 

 and doubled up. — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves alternate, stipulate, mostly 

 palmately veined : pubescence commonly stellate. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 



1. M.LV.. Calyx with a 3-leaved involucel. Capsules numerous, arranged in a circle round a central axis, one-seeded 



2. ALTHiEi. Involucel 6 - 9-cleft. Capsules numerous, one-seeded. "o^eeucu. 



3. Abctilo.n. Involucel none. Capsule consisting of 5 or more, 2-valved, 3 - 6-seedcd carpels 



4. SiD4. Involucel none. Carpels 5 or more, 2-valved, l-sceded. 



^' "'T^'ed )°^°'"'*' °^ ''^''^ " "''^^ °''"°'' '^*''* ^^^^ ^- ^"P'"'' ^■'^•^"'^'^ • """^ ^-^"^ ^^^"'J- ("rely 



1. MALVA. Linn.; Endl. gen. 5211. mallow. 



\ The name is said to be altered from the Greek, m<aci^u,s, soft ; in aDusion to the emollient nature of the species.] 

 Calyx S-cleft, surrounded usually by an involucel of 3 (sometimes 1 - 2, or 5 - C) oblong or 

 setaceous bracteoles ; very rarely naked. Capsules numerous (rarely only 5), dry, "i n^de- 

 hiscent, one-seeded, circularly arranged round the axis. Radicle inferior. 



1. Malva rotundifolia, Linn. Dwarf Mallow. Running Malloxo. 



Stem prostrate ; leaves cordate-orbicular, obtusely 5-lobcd, the lobes crenately toothed • 



petioles pubescent; pedicels axillary, declined in fruit; segments of the calyx acutely trian- 



