72 MALVACE^. 



All Malvacea yield a bland mncilage, and are largely used as emollients {f.g.Ahelmoichas, 

 Malachra). A far more important product of the Order is their fibre, which in Cotton 

 (Ooasi/jnum) consists of the testa-hairs, while in many other Malvacea the fibrous layer of 

 the bark is employed : thus Faritmm (Mahoc, Cuba-bast), Sida pyramidata, Atutilon elatum, 

 Jliiistnis clypeatus, Malachra, Pavonia typhalea, and P. racemosa, are remarkable fibre- 

 plants of the West Indies. A yellow dye is obtained from the unripe fruit of Thespeda. 



Tkibe I. HALVED. — CarpiU as many as the stigmas, usually at length separating from 

 the central axis. Column antheriferous at the summit. — ^The West Indian genera have 

 capitate stigmas (Sidece). 



1. MALVASTRUM, As. Gr. 



Carpids 20-5, uniovnlate, curved, and encircling a central torus, at length separating from 

 the same. Radicle inferior. — Involucel S-l-leaved, or obsolete. Herbs. 



1. M. spicatum, Gr. [PI. Carib). Sulfrutescent, pubescent or canescent; leaves del- 

 toid or ovate, pointed, erenate-serrate above the base ; flowers spicate : spikes oblong, or 

 axillary ones reduced ; involncrai leaves 3, lanceolate, equalling the calyx ; calyx-lobes ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, pointed, as long as the tube or a little longer ; petals orange-coloured, 



^obcordate, shortly exserted; carpids ahoMi 15, awnle'ss, glabrous and pubescent at the in- 

 flexed top, flat on the back.— (7az». Diss. t. 20./. 4. t. 138./. 3. — Malva, L. M. americana, 

 Uich. Cub. [non alior.). M. polystachya, Cav. — Erect and branched, usually 2'-3' high, 

 but sometimes shrubby and 6^-7 high : leaves usualLy pale-green, or canescent chiefly be- 

 Jieath: down soft. — Hab. Jamaica I, all coEectors, common, to Antigua!, iVJcAofe.; and 

 Trinidad!, Lochh.; [Texas!, Cuba! to Brazil!, Cape Verde Islands!, East Indies!, New 

 Holland!]. 



2. M. tricuspidatum, As. Gr. Snfirutescent, substrigose ; leaves ovate-lanceolate or 

 rhomboid-lanceolate, serrate ; flowers axillary, fascicled or solitary, Shortly stalked ; involu- 

 oel-leaves 3, linear, at length exceeded by the calyx, or obsolete; calyx-lobes ovate, pointed, 

 as long as the tube ; petals yellow, obcordate, shortly exserted ; carpids 10 or more, tricus- 



f pidate (one awn at the iuflexed top, two on the edge of the back), hispid above, somewhat 

 channelled on the back. — Cav. Bias. t. 22./. 2. — Malva. Ait. M. ameriftana, L. et Cav. 



£tM. coromandeliana, Sio. M. domingensis, Sjpr. — Stem I'-li', with appressed hairs : leaves 

 green ; superior flowers sometimes approximate and subspicate. — -Hab. Jamaica !, Baner., 

 JHst., Wils., common, to Trinidad !, Cr. ; [Florida, Texas 1, California !, Cuba !, and Mexico ! 

 to Brazil !, and Peru I, Madeira !, Canary Islands !, East Indies !]. 



2. MODIOLA, Uch. 



Carpids 20-14, biovulate, separating from each other and from the central torus, biros- 

 trate and dehiscent between the beaks. Seeds separated by a transverse dissepiment : radicle 

 inferior. Stamens W-%f). — linobu:A Z-leaved, persistent. Herbs. 



3. ra. caroliniana, 0. Don. Annual, hirsute; leaves palmatifid and toothed; pedicels 

 I axillary, exceeding the petiole ; petals red, a little longer than the calyx ; carpids hispid. — 



Cav. Diss. t. 16./. 3 ; As. Or. Oen. Bor. Amer. t. 128. — ^Malva, L. M. prosti-ata, Cav., 

 , Macfad.! M. eriocarpa, DC. — ^Diffuse or prostrate; petals 3'" long. — Hab. Jamaica!, 

 j^Macf., sparingly on the hills; [Virginia to Texas!, Mexico!, ChUi!, Juan Eeruandez!, 



Montevideo !, Buenos Ayres 1]. 



3. SPH.aEEALCEA, St. Hit. 



Carpids 24-12, 3-2-ovulate, tardily separating from the central torus, dehiscent above 

 and at length in the dorsal line. Badicle inferior in the inferior, superior in the superior 

 seeds. — Involucel ^-Z-leaved, deciduous. 



4. S. abutiloides, Endl. Shrubby, tomentose ; leaves roundish, lobed-augnlar, ser- 

 rate; peduncles axillary, 5-1-flowered, superior corymbose; iuvolurel 3-leaved; calyx 5-fid, 

 twice exceeded by the rose-coloured petals ; carpids 2-3-seeded, blunt, membranaceous. — Dill. 

 Mlth. t. 1 ; Jacq^. Ht. Schambr. 3. t. 293 ; Bot. Mag. t. 2544.— Malva, L. Phymosia, 

 Desv. — A high shrub : my diagnosis is taken from the figures, — Hab. Bahamas, Providence, 



