lOG ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Sub-glabrous herbs, undistinguishable in habit from the other 

 British genera of Malvacesc. 



Tlie generic name is altered from /laXaj^ij (malache), soft, from the emollient nature 

 of tbe species. 



SPECIES I.— M ALVA MOSCHATA. Linn. 

 Plate CCLXXX. 

 Heich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Jfalv. Tab. CLXIX. Fig. 4841. 



Stem erect. Leaves (except the lowest) tripartite with the 

 lateral segments again deeply cleft; segments not contiguous, 

 deeply pinnatifid, with narrowly strap-shaped ultimate lobes. 

 Fruit peduncles erect, longer than the sepals. Epicalyx of 3 

 strap-shaped leaves, half as long as the calyx. Calyx with 5 

 ovate-deltoid lobes, erect and enlarged when in fruit. Carpels 

 with the sides gradually rounded into the back, nearly smooth, 

 hispid on the back. 



In hedgebanks and borders of fields. Generally but rather 

 sparingly distributed in England and Scotland as far North as 

 the Grampians. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 



Eootstock producing several stems 1-| to 3 feet high. Stem 

 round, frequently spotted with purple. Lower leaves reniform, 2 

 to 3 inches across, 3-cleft with contiguous segments crenatcd at 

 the apex ; upper leaves becoming more and more deeply divided, 

 more shortly stalked, and having the middle segment becoming 

 longer in proportion to the lateral ones as they are placed higher 

 up on the stem. Stipules small, lanceolate. Elowers crowded 

 towards the top of the stem or forming a sliort raceme with usually 

 several peduncles from each node, in size 1^ to 2^ inches across, pink 

 or more rarely white. Peduncles variable in length, erect wlien in 

 fruit. Petals three or four times as long as the sepals, wedgeshaped- 

 obovate, truncate and emarginate at the apex. Carpels dark olive, 

 densely hispid on the back, which does not form an angle with the 

 sides, but is rounded off into them. Plant exhaling a faint musky 

 odour, pale green, sparingly clothed with long hairs, which are 

 more abundant on the peduncles and sepals. 



The deeply divided ujiper leaves distinguish this from all the 

 other British Malvacece. 



Music Mallow. 



French, Mauve Musqiiee. German, Mosclais KasejMppel. 



Were this pretty plant less common than it is, it would perhaps meet with more 

 admirers ; but the human mind, iu its perverseness, is prone to prize what is least 



