POPULAR FLORA. 



131 



Calyx 2-leaved, free from the ovary, which makes a few-seeded pod, splitting into 3 valves. 

 Stamens 5, one before each petal. Leaves 2 and opposite in our species, ou a 

 stem which comes from a small tuber. Flowers rose-oolor, in a raceme, open- 

 ing for several days. ( Claytbma) SpBisQ-BEAnTr. 



ffTTTT^""*-! 



313 S14 



309. Half or a Rower of (he common Purslane, divided lengthwiae and maornified. 310. Pod of the same, opening by a lid. 

 311. Claylonia or Spring-Beauty. 312 Its S-cleft calyx and pod. 313. Ripe pod cut across, and splitting into three 

 valves. 314. Seed, more magnified. 315. Same, cut througli, to sliow tlie coiled embryo. 316. Embryo taken out. 



17. MALLOW FAMILY. Order MALVACEJE. 

 Distinguished by the numerous monadelplious stamens (i.e. united by their filaments into 

 a tube or column), with liidney-shaped one-celled anthers, and the five sepals or lobes of the 

 calyx applied edge to edge without overlapping (i. e. vcdoale) in the bud, and persistent. 

 Leaves almost always palmately-veined, alternate, with stipules. Petals united at the bot- 

 tom with the tube of stamens. There is often a sort of outer calyx, below the true one, 

 called an involucel. All innocent plants, full of mucilage (it is extracted from the root of 

 Marsh-Mallow), and with a very tough fibrous inner bark. Flowers oilen handsome. 

 Anthers all at the top of the column cf united filaments (Fig. 317). 



Involucel or outer calyx present. Cells of the fruit many in a ring, separating whole 

 when ripe, one-seeded. 

 Involucel 9-parted. Separated little pods marginless. Plant soft-downy: root pe- 

 rennial, {Althaea) Harsh-Mallow. 

 Involucel about 6-parted. Separated pods with membranaceous margins. Plants 



tall, roughish : root biennial. Flowers large, (.4W«Ea, § ^'fcerr) * Hollyhock. 



Involucel .?-6-cleft. A flat olate covering the circle of corls. (Lmat'era) * Lavatera. 



.Involucel 3-leaved. Circle of jiods naked, arou.nd a narrow axis, "(Malva) Mallow. 



