Feb., 1912.] 
The Mallows of Ohio. 
465 
THE MALLOWS OF OHIO. 
Mary B. Lixxell. 
Malvaceae Mallow Family. 
Mucilaginous, innocent herbs or shrubs with alternate, pal- 
mately-veined leaves and small deciduous stipules. Flowers 
hypogynous, regular, often large and showy, usually bisporangiate ; 
calyx usually of 5 sepals more or less united, often with bracts at 
the base; corolla of 5 petals, convolute; andrecium of numerous 
stamens, the filaments united into a tube around the gvnecium 
and also united with the base of the petals; ovulary with several 
cavities, styles united below, distinct above; stigmas usually as 
many as the cavities of the ovulary. Fruit a capsule with several 
cavities; the carpels falling away entire or else loculieidally 
dehiscent. 
Synopsis of Genera. 
I. Stamen-column anther-bearing at the tip; carpels 5-20 in a ring around 
a prominent central axis from which they separate when ripe. 
A. Carpels 1-seeded. 
1. Flowers bisporangiate. 
(1) Stigmas linear, on the inner face of the styles. 
a. Involucre of 1-3 bracts. 
(a) Carpels beakless; petals obcordate. Malva. 
(b) Carpels beaked; petals truncate. Callirrhoe. 
b. Involucre of 6-9 bracts. Althaea. 
(2) Stigmas terminal, capitate. Sida. 
2. Flowers monosporangiate, diecious. Napaea. 
B. Carpels 2 — several seeded. Abutilon. 
II. Stamen-column naked at the 5-toothed tip; carpels forming a loculi- 
cidal capsule. 
A. Involucre of many bracts. Hibiscus. 
Key. 
1. Flowers without an involucre. 2. 
1. Flowers with involucre below the calyx. 4. 
2. Leaves not lobed; flowers bisporangiate. 3. 
2. Leaves deeply lobed; flowers diecious. Napaea. 
3. Leaves broadly cordate, abruptly acuminate. Abutilon. 
3. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute. Sida. 
4. Stamen-column anther-bearing below the entire or 5-toothed summit; 
involucre of numerous linear bracts. Hibiscus. 
4. Stamen-column anther-bearing at the summit. 5. 
5. Involucre of 6-9 bracts united at the base. Althaea. 
5. Involucre usually of 3 free bracts. 6. 
6. Carpels beakless; petals obcordate; leaves divided or onlv slightly 
lobed. Malva. 
6. Carpels beaked; petals truncate; leaves parted or divided. Callirrhoe. 
Malva L. 
Pubescent or glabrate herbs with dentate, lobed, or dissected 
leaves, and axillary or terminal, solitary or clustered flowers. 
Carpels beakless, arranged in a circle, indehiscent; cavities of 
ovulary several or numerous, 1-ovuled; seed ascending. 
