MALVACE^-MALLOW FAMILY 



Herbs or shrubs with alternate, palmately veined leaves. The 

 flowers are regular; sepals five and petals five. The filaments of 

 the numerous stamens form a tube connected with the base of the 

 petals; and this tube bears, either at its summit or along its sides, 

 kidney-shaped, one-celled anthers. The styles, five or more, 

 push out at the top of this tube. Pistils are several, either uniting 

 in a ring or forming a several-celled pod. A whorl of bractlets 

 either separate or grown together, called an involucre, surrounds 

 the calyx. All members of the farnily are more or less mucilagi- 

 nous. Its best-known garden representatives are Hollyhock and 

 Hibiscus, its plant of greatest economic value is Cotton. 



HOLLYHOCK 



AUhma rosea. 



Althcea, to heal, of Greek derivation; some of the species having 

 been used medicinally. 



An old-time garden favorite; a plant of vigorous growth, noble aspect, 

 and ornamental character. Both biennial and perennial. The Levant. 



Stem. — Tall, simple, hairy, bearing the flowers on short peduncles. 



Leaves. — Rough, rounded, heart-shaped, angled, or five to seven 

 lobed, palmately veined. 



Flowers. — Large, rose, red, purple, white or yellow, single or double, 

 borne in a spike. 



Calyx. — Five-pointed, hairy, re- enforced by an involucre of six to nine 

 bracts. 



Corolla.— Single flowers of five large petals, wedge-shaped, con- 

 volute in bud. 



28s 



