88 LETTER VI. 



to find Avliat is called a Mallow ; we have two very 

 common sorts ; one of which has small pink flowers ; 

 the other, large striped purple ones ; the latter is one 

 of our handsomest wild flowers, and is called *' the 

 common," or, the larger Mallow (Malva sylvestris) ; 

 it is that you are to take as the subject of your 

 study. 



This plant (Plate VI. 1.) grows two or even three 

 feet high, in places where it is not cropped by cattle. 

 It has an erect branching stem, of a very pale 

 green, covered all over with longish hairs, which fre- 

 quently spring from the surface of the stem in starry 

 (or, as we pedantically say, stellate) clusters. The 

 leaves are roundish, and divided into about five shal- 

 low lobes, the border of which is notched ; their veins 

 are netted. At the base of the leaf-stalk grows a pair 

 of small stipules, resembling scales. 



From the bosom of the leaves spring the flowers 

 singly. Below the calyx are placed three small 

 bracts, forming an involucre {jig. S. a.). The calyx 

 is composed of five sepals, joined together about 

 half-way ; it is quite soft, with long delicate hairs. 

 Five large rosy-purple striped petals, each of which 

 has almost the figure of a wedge, and is notched at 

 the end, constitute the corolla, which spreads wide 

 open, when its proper time for unfolding arrives ; 

 before that time, its petals were curiously twisted 

 together. 



The stamens are very different from any we have 

 yet examined ; they consist of a hollow column, 

 bearing, at its upper end, a great number of anthers. 



