MALLOW FAMILY 



487 



belongs, and the Rue family {Rutacea), the family of citrous 

 fruits, such as Oranges, Lemons, Tangerines, Grapefruit, and 

 others. 



Maple Family (Aceraceae) . — This family is composed chiefly 

 of the Maples, valuable trees for shade, lumber, and yielding a 

 sweet sap from which maple syrup and sugar are obtained. 

 Closely related to the Maples are the Buckeyes which are also 

 important shade trees. 



Mallow Family (Malvaceae) . — This family is a notable one 

 chiefly because it includes the Cotton plant (Fig. 435). The 



.Jot 



Fig. 435. — A Cotton Plant, showing the general character of the plant. 

 X about fj. After Orton. 



flowers have five sepals and five petals. The stamens are 

 numerous and united, and the pistil is composed of a number 

 of carpels united at the base. The sepals are also partly united 



(Fig. 9). 



Cotton surpasses all other plants of the family m value. 

 To this family also belongs the Theobroma Cacao, a small tree 

 which yields cocoa and chocolate. The Shrubby Althaea and 

 Hollyhock are of some importance as ornamental plants, while 

 the Indian Mallow (Abutihn Theophrasti) , Flower-of-an-hour 

 (Hibiscus Trionum), and a few others are more or less trouble- 

 some weeds. 



