Class. 
MONADELPHIA. 
AJ.TUjE'A RO'SEA. 
KOSY HOLLYHOCIv. 
Order. 
POLYANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
MALVACEAE. 
Native of 
Height 
Flowers in 
Duration 
Introduced 
China. 
10 feet. 
July, Sept. 
Perennial. 
in 1573. 
No. 977. 
Althtea, is deriA’ed from the Greek word .axtho, 
signifying to rare. The word alludes to the well- 
known medicinal properties of the Althaea officina- 
lis, or common Marsh mallow of our own country. 
The Hollyhock, for several years past, has had 
much to complain of, from the undue neglect with 
which it has been treated. Hei’C and there it has 
found a discerning patron ; but, generally speaking, 
the floral world has been influenced by a Dahlia 
e.xcitement, from which it is now subsiding, in 
sober disposition to judge all flowers by their res- 
pective merits. The Rose is again the queen, and 
the Hollyhock is again at court. 
As society has changed, so have flowers, and the 
Hollyhock has now to frame its costume to the 
fashion of the times. So unintmding has it of 
late been, that we are not aware of any rules hav- 
ing been promulgated to guide the shape of its 
attire, — that Avhich shall be considered most hon- 
ourable when it meets in an assembly of its com- 
peers. It will be our duty to specify these, and 
we shall do so, not from caprice — requiring that 
which is unattainable, but by taking from nature 
24 . 5 . 
