




20 THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
The exact year of its introduction is not known, but it must have been a great many years ago, as very large 
woody plants of this species are occasionally found in old greenhouses. 
——~ 
OTHER SPECIES OF MALVA. 
M. AMGINA Sol. ; Bot. Mag., t. 1998. 

This is a very pretty kind of Cape Mallow, with rather large pink flowers, and large handsome five-lobed 
leaves. It is a greenhouse shrub, flowering in April and May; and it was introduced from the Cape of Good 
Hope in 1796. 
M. DIVARICATA Dec.; Bot. Rep., t. 182, 
This is another Cape species, very distinct in its habit of growth; its stem being twisted backwards and 
forwards in a zig-zag direction, and the branches growing almost at right angles with the stem, and spreading 
out from it as far as possible. It is a lively little greenhouse plant, and the flowers (which resemble 
those of M. capensis, being white starred with crimson at the base) continue to appear from June to December. 
It is easily propagated, either by cuttings, which strike freely, or by seeds, which it npens in great abundance. 
Tt was introduced from the Cape of Good Hope about the year 1792, so that it is a very old inhabitant of our 
greenhouses. 
M. FRAGRANS Jacq. ; Bot. Reg., t. 296. 
This species has deep crimson flowers, which are produced on long peduncles, like those of M. Creeana, and 
which are remarkable for their fragrance, which is, indeed, so powerful that it remains a long time in the hand 
or glove which has been drawn over the plant. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, whence it was 
introduced in 1759; and under favourable circumstances it will form a shrub twelve or fifteen feet high. 
M. CAPENSIS Zin.; Bot. Reg., t. 295. 
The common Cape Mallow is a well-known species which has been cultivated in British greenhouses since the 
year 1738. It is of easy culture, but it seldom exceeds the height of four or five feet; and the flowers, which 
are rather small, have white petals, tipped with pink at the base. 
M. REFLEXA Andr.; Bot. Rep., t. 135. 
This is a very singular species. The flowers are white, slightly stained with pink, and the petals are very 
long, and placed widely apart. The leaves are wedge-shaped, and cut into very unequal lobes. But what 
particularly distinguishes this species is, that when the flowers are fully expanded, the petals turn back to the 
stem, like those of the Martagon, or Turk’s-Cap Lily, and this has so singular an appearance, that it is scarcely 
possible to suppose the plant to be a Mallow. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced 
in 1794. 
M. GROSSULARIAIFOLIA Willd.; Bot. Reg., t. 561. 
This species very closely resembles M. fragrans, except in its being entirely without odour, and having much 
smaller leaves. It is also nearly hardy, only requiring protection from frost. It seeds freely, and is easily 
propagated by cuttings. 
M. MINIATA Caw.; Sweet’s Brit. Flow. Gard., 2d ser., t. 120. 
This is rather a singular growing plant, the flowers being produced five or six together on one peduncle, all 
growing on the same side of the peduncle, which is usually terminated with a small leaf. The flowers themselves 





