66 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
THE BITTER MILKWORT, (P. amara,) 
Is sometimes found growing wild in England on chalky soils; but it is certainly not a true native. 
CHAPTER XII. 
THE MALLOW FAMILY. (Malvacejs, Juts.) 
Character of the Order. —Sepals five, very seldom three or four, 
more or less united at the base, with a valvate aestivation, often pro¬ 
vided with external bracteae forming a kind of involucrum. Petals 
of the same number as the sepals, hypogyuous, with a twisted aestiva¬ 
tion, either distinct or adhering to the tube of the stamens. Stamens 
usually indefinite, sometimes of the same number as the petals, 
hypogynous; filaments monadelphous; anthers one-celled, reniform, 
bursting transversely. Ovarium formed by the union of several 
carpella round a common axis, either distinct or coherent; styles the 
same number as the carpella, either united or distinct; stigmata 
variable. Fruit either capsular or baccate; its carpella being either 
monospermous or polyspermous, sometimes united in one, sometimes 
separate or separable ; dehiscence either loculicidal or septicidal. Seeds 
sometimes hairy; albumen little or none; embryo curved, with 
twisted and doubled cotyledons. Herbaceous plants, trees, or shrubs. 
Leaves alternate, more or less divided, stipulate. Hairs stellate. 
Peduncles usually axillary. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —All the genera contained in this tribe are easily recognised by the central column into 
which the anthers are united. There are three genera which contain British plants; viz., the Mallow, the 
Marsh-Mallow, and Lavatera, or the Tree-Mallow. They all abound in mucilage, and are reckoned efficacious 
in diseases of the lungs. All the genera belonging to this order are placed in the Linnrean class Monadelphia, 
from their stamens being united into one brotherhood ; and in the order Polyandria, from the stamens being 
numerous. 
GENUS I. 
THE MALLOW. (Malta, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx surrounded by au involucrum, formed generally of three leaves, seldom of five or six ; bracteolae oblong or 
setaceous. Fruit numerous, capsular, one-seeded, arranged in a circle. {Dec.) 
Description, &c. —There are three British species of Mallows, all of which are very common, and they are 
easily distinguished from the other genera belonging to the order by the involucrum of the calyx consisting of 
three distinct leaflets ; the petals being wedge-shaped and apart at the base, and the capsule consisting of a circle 
of eleven or more carpels growing close together, and forming what the country children call cheeses, which are 
good to eat, from the mucilaginous matter they contain. The plants are generally covered with hairs, which 
are disposed in little, spreading tufts. The names both of Malva and Mallow are taken from the Greek word 
malasso , in allusion to the emollient qualities of the plants. 
I.—THE COMMON MALLOW. (Malva sylvestris, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 671; 2nd ed., t. 978; and ou x fig. 1, in Plate 15. 
Specific Character. —Stem uptight, herbaceous. Leaves with seven acute lobes. Foot-stalks and flower-stalks hairy. {Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This species is the commonest of all the kinds of Mallow ; and one of the commonest of 
British plants. There is scarcely a hedge-bank or piece of waste land by the road-side in which it is not to be 
found ; and it is particularly abundant in country churchyards. It continues in blossom from May till the end 
