6l8 FLORA. 



I. ALTHAEA L. 



Tomentose or pilose herbs, with lobed or divided leaves and solitary or race- 

 mose flowers. Involucels of 6-9 bractlets united at the base. Calyx 5 -cleft. Petals 

 5. Cavities of the ovary numerous, 1 ovuled ; style-branches the same number as 

 the ovary-cavities, stigmatic along the inner side ; carpels numerous, indehiscent, 

 arranged in a circle around the axis. Seed ascending. [Ancient Greek, signi- 

 fying to cure.] About 15 species, natives of the Old World. 



1. Althaea officinalis L. Marsh-mallow. (I. F. f. 2414.) Perennial, 

 herbaceous, erect, 6-12 dm. high, densely velvety-pubescent. Leaves broadly 

 ovate, dentate and generally 3-lobed, the lower ones often cordate ; petioles 1-2.5 

 cm. long; flowers in narrow racemes, pink, 2-4 cm. broad; bractlets linear, shorter 

 than the 5 ovate-lanceolate acute calyx-segments ; carpels 15-20, tomentose. In 

 salt marshes, coast of Mass. and N. Y., and in Penn. Nat. from Europe. Sum- 

 mer. 



Althaea canndbina L.,\vith digitately 5-parted leaves, has been found in waste places 

 at Washington, D. C. 



Althaea rosea Cav., the Hollyhock, is occasionally found beyond the limits of culti- 

 vation in the Middle States. 



a. MALVA L. 



Pubescent or glabrate herbs, with dentate lobed or dissected leaves, and axillary 

 or terminal solitary or clustered flowers. Calyx 5 -cleft. Bractlets of the invo- 

 lucels 3 (rarely none). Petals 5. Cavities of the ovary several or numerous, 

 i-ovuled; style-branches of the same number, linear, stigmatic along the inner 

 side. Carpels arranged in a circle, beakless, indehiscent. Seed ascending. [Greek, 

 referring to the emollient leaves.] About 30 species, natives of the Old World. 

 In addition to the following, another is naturalized in Cal. 



Leaves with 5-9 shallow angular lobes. 



Petals 2-4 times the length of the calyx. I. M. sylvestris. 



Petals 1-2 times the length of the calyx. 



Procumbent, low. 2. M. rotundifolia. 



Erect, tall. 



Leaf-margins not crisped. 3. M. verticillata. 



Leaf-margins crisped, wrinkled. 4. M. crispa. 



Leaves deeply 5-7-lobed or pinnatifid. 



Stem-leaves 1-3-pinnatifid; carpels downy. 5. M. moschata. 



Stem-leaves deeply lobed; carpels glabrous. 6. M. Alcea. 



1. Malva sylvestris L. High Mallow. (1. F. f. 2415.) Biennial, erect 

 or ascending, pubescent with spreading hairs, or glabrate. Leaves orbicular, or 

 reniform, 3-10 cm. wide, with 5-9 shallow angular or rounded lobes, crenate-den- 

 tate, truncate or cordate at the base; flowers reddish purple, 2-4 cm. broad, in axil- 

 lary clusters; pedicels slender; carpels about 10, flat on the back, rugose-retic- 

 ulate. In waste places and along roadsides, sparingly adventive from Europe in 

 the U. S., Can. and Mex. Summer. 



2. Malva rotundifolia L. Low, Dwarf or Running Mallow. Cheeses. 

 (1. F. f. 2416.) Annual or biennial, procumbent and spreading; stems 1-3 dm. 

 long. Leaves orbicular-reniform, 2-8 cm. wide, cordate, with shallow dentate- 

 crenate lobes; flowers clustered in the axils, pale blue. S-15 mm. broad; calyx- 

 k>bes ovate, acute; carpels about 15, rounded on the back, pubescent. In waste 



. common throughout our territory, and widely distributed as a weed. Nat. 

 from Europe. M iv Nov. 



3. Malva verticillata L. Whorled Mallow. (I. F. f. 2417.) Annual, 

 glabrous or nearly so, 1-2 m. high. Leaves nearly orbicular with shallow, angu- 

 lar crenate lobes; flower- white or whitish, sessile, clustered in the axils, about 

 the size ot those of M. rotundifolia; carpels rugose-reticulated. In waste places, 

 Vt. Fugitive or adventive from Europe. Summer. 



4. Malva crispa P. CURLED MALLOW. Similar to the preceding, but the 

 margins of the leavi s wrinkled and crisped, crenulate. In waste places, spar- 

 ; .1 from gardens, \. S. to S. Dak. and N. J. Introduced from southern 

 Europe or western Asia. Summer. [M. vefHcilkUa crispa L.J 



