630 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



and bear each a simple stig^tna at theii- summit. 

 Tlie fruit presents tlie same modifications as the 

 carpels, that is, the latter are sometimes united, 

 in a circular manner, around an axis, sometimes 

 collected into a head, or foi-m, by their union, a 

 many-celled capsule, which opens into as many 

 valves as there are monospermous or polysperm- 

 ous cells. At other times, the carpels open only 

 by their inner side. The seeds, of which the 

 proper integument is sometimes covered with 

 cottony hairs, are composed of a straight embryo, 

 generally without endosperm, having the coty- 

 ledons foliaceous, and folded upon themselves. 



Mr Brown considers the malvaceae, not as a 

 family, but as a great tribe or class, composed of 

 the malvaceae of Jussieu, the sterculiacese of 

 Ventenat, the chlenacesE of Du-Petit-Tholiars, 

 the tiliaceae of Jussieu, and a new family which 

 he names hi/ttneriacece. 



The following are among the genera of which 

 it is composed : malope, malva, althaea, lavatera, 

 liibiscus, gossypium, palava, lagunea, &c. 



The malvaceae abound in mucilage, and are 

 consequently demulcent. The marsh mallow 

 (althcea officinalis) has long been employed as 

 such, but any of the other European species may 

 be used with equal advantage. No plant belong- 

 ing to this family is known to possess unwhole- 

 some qualities. Tlie hairy covering of the seeds 

 of several species of gossypium, is the cotton of 

 commerce. 



BoMBACEiE, Kunth. Large trees or shrubs, 

 natives of intertropical countries, having alter- 

 nate, simple, or digitate leaves, furnished at their 

 base with two persistent stipules. The calyx, 

 which is sometimes accompanied externally with 

 some bracteas, is monosepalous, with five divi- 

 sions, which are imbricated previous to their 

 expansion, sometimes entire. The corolla, which 

 is sometimes wanting, is composed of five regular 

 petals. The stamina, five, ten, fifteen, or more, 

 are monadelphous at their base, and form five 

 bundles above, each bearing one or more uni- 

 locular anthers. The ovary is formed of five 

 carpels, which are sometimes distinct, sometimes 

 united together, and terminated each by a style 

 and a stigma, which are sometimes united into 

 one. The fruits are generally five- celled, poly- 

 spermous capsules, opening by five valves, or 

 they are coriaceous, internally fleshy, and inde- 

 liiscent. The seeds, which are often surrounded 

 by hairs or down, sometimes have a fleshy en- 

 dosperm, covering an embryo, of which the 

 cotyledons ai-e even or puckered. The endosperm 

 is sometimes wanting. 



The genera are : bomhax, helicteres, matisia, 

 cavanillesia, adansonia, &c. 



They are mucilaginous, like the nialvaoeas. 

 The baobab or adansonia, is the largest known 

 tree, its diameter being from twenty to thirty 

 teet at the base. Tlie seeds of many species are 



enveloped in cottony hairs, which are used for 

 various purposes, although they cannot be man- 

 ufactured into thread. 



BrTTNERiACE.a;, Brown. (Some genera oimal- 

 vaceas, and the hermannice of Jussieu. Sterculia- 

 cerB, Ventenat.) Trees or shrubs with simple, 

 alternate leaves, furnished with opposite stipules. 

 Flowers disposed in more or less branched clus- 

 ters, which are axillar, or opposite to tlie leaves. 

 The calyx, which is naked, or accompanied with 

 a calyculus, is formed of five petals, more or less 

 united at their base, and valvar. The corolla is 

 of five flat petals, spirally twisted before expan- 

 sion, or more or less concave and irregular. The 

 petals are sometimes wanting. The stamina, 

 which are of the same number as the petals, 

 double or multiple, are in general monadelplious, 

 and the tube which they form by their union 

 often presents petaloid appendages, placed be- 

 tween the antheriferous stamina, and which are 

 so many abortive stamina. Tlie anthers are 

 alwaj^s two-celled. The carpels, fx-om three to 

 five in number, are more or less completely 

 united. Each cell contains two or three ascend- 

 ing ovules, or a greater number, attached to the 

 inner angle of each cell. The styles remain free, 

 or are more or less united together. The fruit 

 is generally a globular capsule, accompanied by 

 the calyx, with three or five cells opening into 

 so many valves, which often bear the dissepi- 

 ment on the middle of their inner face. The 

 seeds have an erect embryo in a fleshy endosperm. 

 This family, which is distinguished from the 

 malvaceEE by its two-celled anthers, and by the 

 circumstance that its seeds are generally furnished 

 with a fleshy endosperm, has been divided into 

 six sections, or natural tribes: 



1. SiEECULiACE^ : flowers often unisexual; 

 calyx naked, no corolla; ovary pedicellate, 

 formed of five distinct carpels; endosperm some- 

 times wanting, as : sterculia, triphaca, heritiera. 



2. Byttneriace/E: petals irregular, concave, 

 often terminated at their summit by a kind of 

 ligule; stamina monadelphous; ovary with five 

 cells, generally containing two erect ovules : 

 theohroma, abroma, guazuma, btittneria, ayenia. 



3. LASiorETALEiE : calyx petaloid; petals very 

 small, in the fomi of scales, or wanting; ovary 

 with three or five cells, containing each from 

 two to eight ovules. Seringia, thomasia, kerau- 

 drenia. 



4. IIermannie^: flowers hermaphrodite, calyx 

 tubular; corolla of five flat petals, spirally rolled 

 before expansion; five monodelphous or free 

 stamina, opposite to the petals; cells polysperm- 

 ous. Melochia, hermannia, mahernia. 



5. DombeyacejE: calyx monosepalous; corolla 

 of five flat petals, stamina equal, numerous, and 

 monadelphous; ovary with three or five cells, 

 containing two or more ovules. Ruizia, dotii- 

 beya, pentapctcs. 



