MALVACEAE. 69 



Plate 127. 



SPH^RALCEA, St. Hil. 



Involucellum 2-3-phyllum, setaceiim, SEcpe deciduiim. 

 Stigmata capitellata. Ovula in lociilis 2 - 3. Fructus sub- 

 globosus polycoccus ; carpellis unilocellatis, 3 — 1-spermis, 

 superne 2-valvibus, tardius inter se solubilibus et ab axi 

 secedentibiis. Embryo arcuatus. Radicula infera, vel sem. 

 superioris centripeto-supera. 



SpHa:RALCEA, St. Hil. «& Adr. Juss. in PI. Us. Bras. t. 52, & Fl. Bras. 



1. p. 209. Torr. & Gray, Fl. 1. p. 228. Endl. Gen. 5272. 

 Phymosia, Desv. in Hamilt. Prodr. Fl. Ind. Occ. p. 43, ex Endl. 

 MALv.a: Sect. Sph5;roma, DC. Prodr. 1. p. 435. 

 SpH.a:ROMA, Schlecht. in Linnaea, 11. p. 352. 



Calyx involucellate with two or three usually deciduous 

 subulate or setaceous bracts, five-cleft, persistent ; the seg- 

 ments valvate in aestivation. Petals 5, obovate or obcor- 

 date, often oblique, convolute in aestivation, hypogynous, 

 their claws united with the base of the stamineal column. 

 Stamens indefinite, monadelphous in a simple hypogynous 

 column : filaments all arising from its summit : anthers 

 reniform. Ovaries 15 to 20, closely united in a ring around 

 a central receptacle, destitute of any internal process or 

 partition : styles 15 to 20, united below : stigmas capitate. 

 Ovules 2 or 3 in each carpel, peritropous ; the upper one as- 

 cending, the lower descending. 



Fruit of 15 to 20 compressed carpels, united in a globu- 

 lar ring, truncate at the summit ; the carpels compressed, 

 straight, excised at the insertion, often pointed, membrana- 

 ceous or coriaceous, two-valved at the summit and frequent- 

 ly splitting down the whole length of the dorsal suture, 

 tardily separating from each other and from the central 

 receptacle. Seeds 2, 3, or by abortion solitary in each car- 



