82 MALVACE^. [Althcea. 



calyx much longer than the outer, cleft nbout halfway into 5 (or 6) ovato-trian- 

 gular, acute, 3—5 nerved segments, bordered (and partially sprinliled at the back) 

 with setigerims glands ; entire or slightly cleft or dentate. Petals moslly 3 tirnes 

 the length of the calyx, striato-venose, sinning, obcordato-cuneate, truncate, wiih 

 a broad, shallow, minutely notched emargination, their claws villous. Stamens 

 rose-coloured ; pollen white, globose. Capsules sujall, blackish, orbicular-reni- 

 form, much compressed, densely hispid. Seeds gray, roundish kidney-shaped, 

 much flattened at the sides, quite glabrous. 



This species derives its trivial name from the agreeable musky odour it exhales, 

 which is perceptible chiefly on opening a box in which the plant has been kept, or 

 in dry warm weather, or when made to flower in a room ; at other times it is 

 inodorous or nearly so.* The stamens exhibit the same irritability I have noticed 

 in those of Althaa ofiicinalis. 



II. AiTH^A, Linn. Marsh Mallow. 



Calyx with a 6 — 9 leaved involucre. Carpels numerous, circu- 

 larly arranged, 1-seeded. 



1. A. officinalis, L. Common Marsh Mallow. " Leaves soft 

 and downy on both sides cordate or ovate toothed entire or 

 3-lobed, peduncles axillarj^ many-flowered much shorter than the 

 leaves."— £r. Fl. p. 77. E. B. t. 147. 



In salt-marsh pastures and on the banks of brackish ditches, rivers and pools ; 

 not uncommonly. FL July — September. If. 



E. Med. — On the Dover, Ryde ; and near Springfield. Along the Medina, 

 between Cowes and Newport, in many places abundantly. Near Cowes, 3Ir, 

 Marryat (in Baxt. Gen. of Fl. PI.) [Tolerably abundant on the South shore of 

 Brading harbour, also on St. Helen's spit, A. G. More, Esq., Edrs.] 



W.Med. — Newtown salt-marshes, and about Yarmouth and Freshwater, fre- 

 quent. Abundant in the first marsh-meadow at Gurnet Bay, immediately adjoin- 

 ing the bridge over the stream. Coast near W. Cowes. Abundant about Nor- 

 ton, Mr. Snoohe .'.'.' 



Root very large and fleshy.. Stems erect, 2 — 4 feet in height, simple or a little 

 branched, lound, downy like the rest of the plant. Leaves stalked, plaited, gray- 

 ish green, very soft with close hoary pubescence, obscurely 5-lobed, the lobes cut 

 and serrated, the middle one alone strongly marked, triangular and pointed, upper 

 lobes wedge-shaped at the base ; some of the lowermost leaves are often roundish 

 or broadly triangular. Peduncles solitary or several, axillary, 1-, 2-, or many- 

 flowered, shorter than the leaves. Flowers as large as in Malvasylvestris, varying 

 from pale rose-colour to nearly white. Sepals in 2 rows, the outer and shorter of 

 8 — 10 unequal, linear-lanceolate, the inner of 5 ovate, pretty uniform, acute seg- 

 ments. Petals much longer than the calyx, inversely heart-shaped, crenate, their 

 claws fringed and joined with the base of the united .stamens. Stamens rose- 

 coloured ; anthers violet ; pollen made up of dark cohering globules, which as 

 well as the stamens evince great irritability on being pressed or rubbed, detaching 

 themselves from the anther with an elastic and twisting motion, but of scarcely 

 momentary continuance. Capsules numerous, in depressed orbicular heads partly 

 infolded by the inner calycine segments, brownish, nearly orbicular, quite flat at 

 the sides, villous on the back with thick yellowish pile. Seeds solitary, brown, 

 orbicular-reniform, their sides depressed, perfectly smooth and even. 



* Ills by no means, as some authors asseit, only when beginning to wither 

 that the musky smell becomes perceptible ; both the fresh leaves and opening 

 flowers emit it powerfully in a close confined or moist atmosphere, but the odour 

 is too subtle and diffusible to be much perceived in the open air or that of a 

 large apartment. 



