177 
MALOPE TRIFIDA GRANDIFLORA. 
(GREAT-FLOWERED TRIFID-LEAVED MALOPE.) 
CLASS. ORDER. 
MONADELPHIA. POLYANDRIA. 
NATURAL ORDER. 
MALVACEAE. 
Generic Character. — Calyx five-cleft, surrounded by a three-leaved involucrum, the leaflets of which 
are heart-shaped. Capsules many, collected in a head without order, one-seeded. 
Specific Character. — Plant hears a great resemblance to the common trifida. Stem round, smooth, grows 
one to two feet high. Leaves from three to five nerved, toothed, slightly sprinkled with a few hairs 
round the edges whilst young, but smooth as they advance in growth, lobes acuminate. F lower-stalks 
axillary. Flowers solitary, brilliant purple rose colour, about three inches diameter, when expanded. 
Calyx segments of the inner ovate-acuminate, thinly covered with bristle-like hairs, leaflets of the 
outer heart-shaped, also covered with hairs round the edges. Petals five, equal, adhering to the tube 
of the stamens at the base. Stamens numerous, indefinite; filaments collected into a column. 
This new and beautiful annual we believe to be a variety of M. trifida. We 
are unacquainted with its history; and therefore cannot say by whom it was raised. 
The M. trifida is a native of Spain, Portugal, and Mauritania, and was intro- 
duced to this country in 1808 . 
The flowers of the present subject are far more showy than the trifida, and 
the plant well deserves extensive cultivation. 
It is readily increased by seeds, which merely require sowing in the open border, 
about the beginning, and until the middle of April. 
It will flower considerably sooner, if the seed be sown in pots and transplanted, 
and afterwards turned out into the borders after the manner of half-hardy annuals* 
The generic name is derived from Malos, tender, alluding to the softness of the 
leaves. 
# 
