32 MALVACE^. [Malvastrum. 



I. M. tricuspidatum, ^. Gr. PI. Wright, and in Bot. Amer. Expl. 

 Exped. i. 148. An erect branching herb, 3 to 3 ft. high, hard and abnost 

 woody at the base, although sometimes annual, the branches sprinkled or co- 

 vered with closely appressed hairs. Leaves on rather long stalks, from broadly 

 ovate to lanceolate, 1 to 2 in. long, irregularly toothed, and hairy. Mowers 

 almost sessile in the axils of the leaves, or clustered towards the ends of the 

 branches. Calyx canlpanulate, broadly 5-lobed, with 3 small narrow external 

 bracts. Carpels 8 to 12, or even more, closely packed in a depressed ring, 

 each one reniform, with 8 minute unequal points on the upper inner edge. — 

 M. rnderale, Hance in Walp. Ann. iii. 830. 



In waste places, Sance. The species is probably of American origin, but is now widely 

 scattered over the warmer regions of the globe. 



2. SIDA, Linn. 



Calyx without outer bracts, 5-lobed. Staminal column divided at the top 

 into several filaments. Carpels 5 or more, in a ring round the axis, 1-ovulate, 

 indehiscent or opening when ripe in 2 short valves at the top. Style with as 

 many branches as carpels ; stigmas terminal. Seeds pendulous. — Herbs or 

 (in some extra-colonial species) shrubs, more or less tomentose or softly 

 hairy, rarely glabrous. Mowers usually yellow, on 1-flowered pedicels or 

 heads, single or clustered in the axils of the leaves, or in terminal racemes. 



A large genus, widely dispersed over the warmer regions of the globe. 



Leaves and branches green, glabrous, slightly pubescent, or with long 

 spreading hairs. Carpels 6. 

 Stem slender, spreading, and hairy. Leaves cordate .... \. S. humilU. 



Stem erect, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves lanceolate i. S. acuta. 



Plant more or less cauescent or softly tomentose, at least the under side 

 of the leaves. Carpels about 10. 

 Leaves oblong or lanceolate, white underneath ... . 3. S. rhomtifolia. 



Leaves small, nearly orbicular, white underneath 4. S.fallax. 



Leaves broadly cordate, softly tomentose on both sides 5. S. cordifoKa. 



1. S. humilis, Willd.; DC. Prod. i. 463. . A slender diffuse annual, the 

 branches spreading to 1 or 1| ft., with long spreading hairs, mixed some- 

 times with a slight tonientum. Leaves on long stalks, cordiform, 1 to 2 in. 

 long, green, and more or less hairy. Pedicels axillary, slender, hairy, -j to 1 

 in. long. Mowers small, yellow. Carpels 5, not curved. 



In waste places. Hinds. A common Indian weed. 



2. S. acuta, Burm. ,- DO. Prod. i. 460 ; Wight, Ic. t. 95. An erect 

 branching perennial, 1 to 2 ft. high, glabrous, or slightly pubescent, but with- 

 out any of the whitish tomentum so general in the genus. Leaves shortly 

 stalked, lanceolate, serrate, H to 2 in. long. Stipules linear and persistent, 

 as long as the petioles. Pedicels axillary, veiy short, seldom exceeding the 

 petioles. Carpels usually 5, with 2 short points or beaks. 



In waste places, Wilford. Widely spread over India, extending northwards to Amoy. 



3. S. rhombifolia, Linn.; BO. Prod. i. 462. A perennial or under- 

 shrub, very variable in stature, sometimes tall and erect, with oblong-lanceo- 

 late leaves 3 in. long, green above, and only slightly hoary underneath, some- 

 times much branched, very spreading, with oblong or almost ovate 'leaves. 



