58 MALVACEAE. 



opening by laceration at the inner edge, or tardily somewhat 

 two-valved. Seed reniform. Embryo arcuate-incurved, part- 

 ly surrounding the soft albumen : cotyledons foliaceous, 

 cordate, conduplicate-infolded : radicle inferior. 



Herbs mostly hairy or hirsute, with rounded and common- 

 ly palmately-cleft or parted leaves, free stipules, and usually 

 virgate stems, terminated by a raceme or racemose panicle of 

 purple, rose-colored, or white flowers. 



Etymology. Name compounded of Sida and Alcea, the ancient names 

 of two allied Malvaceous genera. 



Geographical Distribution, &c. A genus of eight described species 

 (vide Plantce Fendlcrianfe, 1. c.) indigenous to Southern Oregon, California, 

 and New Mexico ; therefore not falling within the geographical range of this 

 work, but introduced here for the purpose of illustrating its remarkable 

 stamineal column, by which the genus is strikingly distinguished from all 

 other true Malvaceae. From the want of an involucel the species formerly 

 known have been referred to Sida, along with other heterogeneous forms. 



PLATE 120. SiDALCEA DiPLOSCYPHA, Gray; — flowers, &c., of the nat- 

 ural size, from a Californian specimen by Fremont. 



1. Diagram of the ajstivation, &c. of the flower, with a magnified cross 



section of the compound ovary. (The exterior phalanges of sta- 

 mens are seen to be convolute in the bud, as well as the petals, and 

 the inner to consist of ten smaller phalanges in two series, five 

 alternating with the exterior set, and five placed opposite them.) 



2. The stamineal column entire, magnified ; the large and petaloid exte- 



rior phalanges spreading ; the summits of the styles exserted from 

 the centre of the 2-antheriferous inner phalanges. 



'^. A'ertical section of the same and of the ovary, &c., more magnified. 



4. Mature fruit, with the segments of the calyx cut ofi", magnified. 



.5. Side view of a detached carpel, more magnified. 



6. Vertical section of the same, and of its seed and embryo. 



7. The embryo detached entire, and more magnified. 



8. The same, with the cordate cotyledons spread out flat. 



9. SiDALCEA CANDIDA, Gray (Santa Fe, Fendler) ; — the stamineal col- 



umn magnified. (The twice-forked outer phalanges show that each 

 arises from the repeated deduplication of one fundamental stamen.) 



10. SiDALCEA DELPHiNiFOLiA, Gray (California, Hartweg) \ — stamineal 



column and styles, magnified ; the phalanges erect, as in the bud. 



11. Fruit magnified (calyx cut away), half the carpels removed, to show 



tiie receptacle, and one divided vertically to show the seed. 



12. One of the carpels bursting on the inner side. 



