50 MALVACE^. 



portion stigmatose (minutely hispid) for the whole length on 

 the inner face. Ovule solitary in each carpel, amphitropous, 

 peritropous-ascending j the micropyle inferior. 



Fruit circular, depressed, consisting of a ring of round- 

 reniform or cochleate and compressed-wedge-shaped crusta- 

 ceous or coriaceous entirely beakless carpels, which cohere 

 until ripe by plane faces, and at length fall away from each 

 other and from the conspicuous central axis (receptacle), 

 hidehisccnt, or rarely bursting irregularly at the ventral 

 sinus. Seed reniform, campylotropous, conformed to the 

 cell, which it completely fills ; the testa crustaceous, smooth. 

 Embryo incurved into an incomplete ring around the scanty 

 soft or mucilaginous albumen : cotyledons broad and folia- 

 ceous, somewhat infolded : radicle centripetal-inferior. 



Herbs (of the Old World) with rounded and often pal- 

 mate petiolate and stipulate leaves. Flowers axillary, usually 

 fascicled ; the corolla white, rose-color, or purple, never yel- 

 low. Peduncles articulated near the apex. 



Etymology. An ancient Latin name, said to come from fjLakdxr], soft, in 

 allusion to the emollient properties of the Mallow. 



Properties. The herbage is mucilaginous. Some species are popularly- 

 employed as demulcents, particularly M. sylvestris ; but they are inferior to 

 the Marsh Mallow (Althaea officinalis). 



Geographical Distribution. The genus Malva, as here restricted, is 

 indigenous to the Old World alone ; M. rotundifolia, although so common, 

 being doubtless an introduced plant in the United States, as is M. borealis in 

 California and New Mexico. It is here illustrated for the purpose of con- 

 trasting its characters with Callirrhoe, &c. 



PLATE 116. Malva rotundifolia, Linn. ; — a leaf and axillary flowers. 



1. Vertical section through all the parts of a flower, magnified. 



2. Vertical section through the fruit and receptacle, dividing one seed and 



embryo ; magnified. 

 .3. One of the carpels detached, magnified. 



4. A seed detached, equally magnified. 



5. Fruit of M. borealis, Wallm., a similar section, equally magnified. 



6. A detached carpel of the same, showing the rugose back. 



