OF ORNAMENTAL ANNUALS. 
93 
GENUS II. 
MALOPE, Lin. THE MALOPE. 
Lin. Syst. MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 
Generic Character.— Calyx girded by a 3-leaved involucrum ; leaflets cordate ; carpels numerous, 1-seeded, disposed into a head.—( G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —The genus Malope differs from the genus Malva principally in the shape of the capsules, 
and the manner in which they are disposed. In the Malva they unite so as to form a flat capsule, but in the 
Malope they form a close, aggregate head, resembling that of the raspberry. The flowers of the Malope are 
generally larger and more showy than those of the Malva, and the texture of their petals is softer and more 
transparent; whence the name of Malope, from a Greek word signifying tender. 
1.—MALOPE TRIFIDA, Cov. THE TRIFID MALOPE. 
Varieties. —M. t. 2 alba, Dec. has white flowers. M. t. 3 gran- 
diflora, Syn. M. gvandiflora. Hort., has very large rose-coloured 
flowers. 
Engravings. —Sweet’s Brit. Flow. Gard. t. 153 ; our Jig. 2, in 
Plate 16, of the white flowered variety ; and our Jig. 4, in Plate 16, 
and Paxt. Mag. of Bot. vol.i. p. 177, of Malope grandiflora. 
Specific Character. —Leaves three-nerved, trifid, toothed, glabrous; 
lobes acuminated. Peduncles axillary, one-flowered.— (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —The common Malope trijida is rather a low-growing plant, seldom exceeding a foot in 
height, with very brilliant and glossy dark rose-coloured flowers. The stems are slightly angular and furrowed. 
The leaves are cordate, and very slightly three-lobed. The peduncles, or flower-stalks, are tinged with purple, 
and the calyx is surrounded by a large involucre, consisting of three cordate leaflets, united at the base. This 
leafy involucre distinguishes both the flow T er and the capsule of the Malope at first sight from those of all the 
kinds of Malva. The cone-like shape of the capsule is also very distinct from the round, flat cheeses of the 
Mallow. 
The large-flowered variety, Malope grandiflora , well merits its name; for the flower we have figured, which 
we had from Lee’s nursery, is only about the average size. The plant also grows three feet or four feet high. 
In the summer and autumn of 1838, an immense quantity of Malope grandiflora was growing in the nursery of 
Mr. Forrest, at Kensington, where its magnificent flowers produced an effect quite dazzling to the eye. The 
white-flowered variety, on the contrary, has rather small and very delicate flowers; and it does not grow higher 
than the species. 
Malope trijida is generally said to be a native of Barbary, introduced in 1808 ; but in the plant catalogue 
of Mr. Masters, of Canterbury, it is stated that this Malope “ was introduced in 1806, from the Mauritius, by 
the writer’s father.”— (Hort. Duro ., 3rd edit. p. 119). It is not known by whom the splendid variety Malope 
grandiflora was raised ; but it is certainly one of the handsomest of garden annuals. 
The seeds of both the species and varieties may be procured in any seed-shop, and they may either be raised 
in March in a slight hot-bed, or sown about the middle of April in the open borders ; observing that, if the 
plants are raised in a liot-bed, they should be sown in pots, and transplanted with the ball entire, without 
disturbing the roots. 
