MONADELPIIIA POLYANDRIA 395 



purple, veined, obcordate-oblong. Carpels arranged in a depressed umbilicate orb, 

 laterally cuneate, reticulalely rugose on the back. Seed round ish-reniform 

 and cuneate, pale brown. 

 Hab. Fields, and waste places : not unfrequent. Fl. July—August. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. This foreigner has escaped from the gardens, and is partially naturalized 

 in many places. 



2. M. hotundifolia, L. Stem herbaceous, prostrate; leaves cor- 

 date-orbicular, doubly crenate ; petals cuneate-oblong, emarginate, 

 twice the length of the calyx ; pedicels of the fruit deflected. Beck, 

 Bot. f). 57. 

 Round-lea vkd Malta. Vulgo — Running Mallows. Low Mallows. 



[ja redonda. 

 Gatf.-Petite Mauve. Germ.-Rundblaetrige Malve. /ff*/>.-Malva dc ho- 

 Plant pubescent. Root perennial. Stem 9 to 18 inches long, branching only 

 from the root, procumbent. Leaves roundish-reniform, with the sinus at base deep 

 and nearly closed, 1 to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 7-nerved, obscurely 5 or 7-lobed, 

 lobes rounded, crenate-dentate ; petioles 2 to 6 or S inches long. Flotcers small, ax. 

 hivy ; pedicels 3 fourths of an inch to 2 inches long, mostly in pairs, unequal 

 in length, when in fruit bent downwards. Calyx with 3 linear rather acute bracts 

 at base. Petals reddish white, with purple veins. 



Hab. Yards, gardens, and grass-lots : common. Fl. May— Sept. Fr. Aug-Octo. 



Obs. This foreigner is extensively naturalized ; and somewhat troublesome 

 about gardens. It is mucilaginous*— and quite a popular ingredient in cataplasms, 

 demulcent drinks, <fcc. The M. crispa, and M. mo&chata, are frequent in our gar- 

 dens;— and the latter has in a few Instances strayed beyond the garden limits, — 

 but can scarcely be considered as naturalized. Several species have been recently 

 found in the distant territories of Ibis Republic, and in British America ; but it is 

 doubtful whether any genuine Malta is indigenous in the old thirteen States. 



326. ALTH-EA. L. DC. Prodr. 1. p. 436. ' 



[Greek, alt ho, to heal ; from its reputed medical virtues.] 



Calyx 5-cleft ; involucre 5 to 10 or 12-clcft. Carpels numerous, 

 arranged orbicularly, 1-seeded. 



Herbaceous: leaves alternate, stipular, angulate-lobed ; flowers axillary, or 

 somewhat in terminal spikes. Nat. Ord. 24. Lindl. Malvaceae. 



1. A. officinalis, L. leaves ovate, or subcordate, dentate, often 

 somewhat 3-lobed, softly tomentose on both sides ; peduncles axillary, 

 many-Jlowered, much shorter than the leaves. Beck, Bot. p. 57. 

 Officinal Althjba. Vulgo — Marsh Mallows. Althaa. 

 Gallice — La Guimauve. Germ. — Der Eibisch. Hisp. — Malvavisco. 

 Plant densely clothed with a soft stellate pubescence. Root perennial, fusiform. 

 Stem 2 to 4 feet high, erect, terete, simple. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, and an inch 

 and half to 3 inches wide, coarsely and unequally dentate and sub-lobed, often some- 

 what 3 or 5-lobed ; petioles 1 to 2 inches long, with slender filiform deciduous sti- 

 pules at base. Flowers sub paniculate ; common peduncles axillary, about as 

 long as the petioles, 3 to Sfiowered ; pedicels 1 fourth to half an inch long, with 

 minute bracts at base. Involucre or outer calyx usually 9 or 10 parted ; segments 

 unequal, lance-linear, or subulate, embracing the calyx. Calyx segments ovale, 



