140 THE MALLOW TAMILT. 



nate lobes. Plowers clustered in the axils of the leaves, small, and of a pale 

 bluish colour, on pedicels ^ to 1 inch long. Petals 4 to 5 lines long. 

 Carpels usually about 15, downy, and rounded on the back, so as to form 

 together a disk-shaped fruit, slightly furrowed on the margin between each 

 two carpels. 



On roadsides and in waste places, throughout Europe and western Asia, 

 except the extreme north. Common in England, Ireland, and southern 

 Scotland, less so further north. Fl. spring to autumn. 



The small-flowered M. (M. parviflora, Linn., or M. pusilla, Eng. Bot. 

 t. 241), from southern Europe and other warm cHmates, and extending north- 

 ward into Scandinavia, is said to have been formerly found in Kent. It 

 has the small flowers of the dwarf M., but is chiefly distinguished by the 

 carpels not rounded, but flat on the back, with angular edges, as in the 

 common M. The ivhorled M. (M. vertioillata, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2953), 

 from southern Em'ope and central Asia, with the flowers and fruit of tlie 

 small-flowered 31., but erect stems, and the flowers hi close clusters, has ap- 

 peared in cornfields near Llanelly, in South Wales. 



2. Common IHCallow. Malva sylvestris, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 671.) 



A biennial, with several erect or ascending stems, 1 to 2 or even 3 feet 

 high, more or less clothed with spreading hairs, especially in the upper 

 part. Leaves on long stalks, orbicidar, shghtly cordate at the base, with 

 5 or 7 lobes, broad and short, but always deeper than in the dwarf M., 

 and the middle one often longer than the others. Flowers in axillary clus- 

 ters, usually of a redcUsh purple ; the petals about 9 or 10 hnes long. 

 Carpels usually 10, flat on the back, with angular edges, so that the fruit 

 has rather projectmg ribs than furrows between the carpels. 



In waste places, on roadsides, etc. Common in Europe, except at high 

 northern latitudes, and extending all across Eussian Asia. Abundant in 

 England and Ireland, decreasing to the noithward, and probably not in- 

 digenous north of the Grampians. Fl. summer. 



3. Musk Mallow. Malva moschata, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 754.) 



A perennial, with several erect, simple or shghtly-branched stems, about 

 18 inches high, covered witli long, spreading hairs. Radical leaves or- 

 bicular, with short, broad lobes, but those of the stem deeply divided into 

 hnear or wedge-shaped segments, which are again pinnatifid or 3-lobed. 

 Flowers large, rose-coloured or rarely white, crowded at the summits of the 

 stem and branches. Carpels rounded on the back, and very hairy. 



On hedge-banks, roadsides, and in gravelly pastures, in western, central, 

 and southern Eiu-ope, extending northwards to south Sweden, and east- 

 ward to Dalmatia. Not uncommon in England, Ireland, and southern 

 Scotland. Fl. summer. 



III. AX.TH.S:A. ALTHiEA. 



Involucre of more than 5 bracts, more or less united together at the base. 

 Calyx 5-lobed. Ovary and fruit of Mallow. 



A small genus, chiefly from the MediteiTanean region and western Asia, 

 jvith one or two South African species. 



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