MAJLLOW FAMILY. 



nsed formerly, as a pot-herb ; but is now generally superseded by better 

 ones. — and is. indeed, only entitled to notice, here, as a troublesome 

 weed in gardens. P. grandiflora. P. Gillesii and others, having terete 

 leaves, hairy axils and showy flowers are now common in gardens ; they 

 are known in some places as TVax Pinks ;"' they become quite perma- 

 nently established where they are once introduced and will doubtless 

 become weeds wherever they escape from cultivation. 



OkderX. MALTA' CE^. (Mallow Family.) 



ITerhs or shrubs, with alternate, palmately -veined leaves furnished with stipules. Hoicers 

 regular, mostly large, often with an involucel forming a double calyx. Calyx mostly of 

 5 sepals, more or less united at base. Petals as many as the sepals, convolute in the 

 bud. Stamens monadelphous, often indefinite ; anthers reniform, 1-celled. Styles as many 

 as the carpels, distinct or united below. Fruif capsular, or the carpels separate or separa- 

 ble. Seeds with Httle albumen ; cotyledons foliaceous, phcate and twisted. Mucilaginous 

 plants with a tough bark. 



An Order comprising about 30 genera, and numerous species — some of them shovry and 

 handsome. They are generally remarkable for their mucilaginous and demulcent prop- 

 erties : but the Cotton plant is preeminently interesting to the American people — ^both as 

 yielding the great staple of the exports from the Southern States, and of the manufactures 

 of the N'orthern States. There are, however, but few other plants of Agricultural im- 

 portance belonging to the Order. 



\ 1. Anthers at the top of the column of united filaments. Cells of the 

 rruit united in a ring around a central axis from which they fall 

 away when ripe. 



Involucel present. Carpels I-seeded. 



Involucel 6 - 9-parted. Plant soft downy. 1. Alth^. 



Involucel 3-leaved. 2. SIalva. 



Involucel none. Carpels 1 -several-seeded. 



Seeds one in each cell. 3. Sida. 



Seeds 2-9 in each cell. 4. ABcmox. 



1 2. Anthers along the sides of the upper part of the column of vmited 

 nlaments. Pod of 3-5 cells, splitting into as many valves. 

 Involucel of many thread-shaped leaves. 



Calyx splitting down one side when the flower opens. Pod 

 long. 5. ABEUtoscHus. 



Calyx not splitting down one side. Pod short. Seeds naked. 6. Hibiscts. 

 Involucel of 3 heart-shaped, toothed leaves. Seeds bearing 

 long wool. 7. GossYPioi 



1. ALTH^'A, L. Marsh-mallow. 



[Greek, AUho, to heal ; from its reputed virtues.] 



Involucel 6-9 cleft. Fruit depressed, consisting of numerous 1-seeded, 

 round-kidney shaped, indehiscent carpels, arranged in a ring around a 

 central axis. 



1. A. officinalis. L. Leaves ovate or somewhat heart-shaped, often 3-lobed, 

 velvety ; peduncles axillary, many-flowered. 



Officixal ALTH.i:A. Marsh-mallow. 



Perennial. Root fusiform. Stem 2-4: feet high, erect. Leaves 2-4 inches lonsr with 

 petioles about half their length. Flou-ers pale rose color, sub-paniculate. 

 Cultivated, and spontaneous in salt marshes. July -September. 



Obs. The Marsh-mallow is a native of Europe, and is sometunes 



