Ord. MALVACEiE. 



Herbas, frutices, rariiisve arbores, miicilaginosas, pube 

 Scepissime stellata, foliis simplicibus alternis stipulatis : di- 

 cotyledoneae, dichlamydese, hypogyna, polyandri-monadel- 

 phcB, 5-polygyna3 ; calyce 5-sepalo sestivatione valvato ; co- 

 rolla 5-petala a3stivatione convoluta, petalis basi cum imo 

 tubo staminiim connatis ; antheris reniformibus uniloculari- 

 bus ; granulis pollinis hispidulis ; seminibus amphitropis 

 parce albuminosis ; embryone ciirvato, cotyledonibus folia- 

 ceis chrysaloideo-contortuplicatis. 



Malvace^, Juss. Gen. p. 271 (excl. § 5-7). R. Brown in Tuckey, 

 Cong. p. 428. Kunth, Diss. Malv. p. 1. DC. Prodr. 1. p. 429. 

 Endl. Gen. p. 978. Lindl. Veg. Kingd. p. 368. 



The Mallow Family belongs to a well-marked natural group (the Co- 

 lumnifera3 of Linnaeus), the plants of which agree in having the calyx 

 valvate and the corolla convolute in aestivation ; the stamens monadelphous in 

 a column, or else more or less pentadelphous ; the embryo large, with folia- 

 ceous cotyledons ; and the leaves alternate and stipulate. The proper Mal- 

 low Family is readily distinguished from the other Columniferas by its strictly 

 monadelphous stamens, one-celled reniform anthers, and simple leaves. 



This important, although not very large, family occurs in all parts of the 

 world except the frigid zone. It is most copiously represented within the 

 tropics and in the hotter parts of temperate regions, thence gradually dimin- 

 ishing in number towards the poles. There are more species in the north- 

 ern than in the southern temperate zone ; and more in the New than in the 

 Old World. 



The Malvaceae of temperate regions are nearly all lierbs, one ornamental 

 shrub, the Hibiscus Syriacus, forming the principal exception ; but within 

 the tropics shrubby or even arborescent forms are common. Their pubes- 

 cence is usually stellate, as shown in Plate 122, Fig. 1. The leaves are 

 almost always petioled, usually palmately veined, and often lobed, but never 

 truly compound. They are always furnished with a pair of stipules, which, 

 however, are sometimes deciduous. The peduncles are axillary, and com- 



