celled, cells either remaining completely United, or becoming more or less distinct, and separating
with the seed enclosed, dehiscence in the former case loculicidah Seeds somewhat reni-
form attached to the internal angle of the Carpels, glabrous or enveloped in a covering of hairs ;
albumen none or very sparing. Embryo large, the cotyledons foliaciotis, variously doubled and
twisted, often cordate, radicle pointing to the hilum.
A ffin it ie s . This large and, as it may appear from the preceding description, complex
order .is vet one of easy determination, even among the orders with which it was originally
combined by Jussieu, now formihg the class Columniferee, of Bartling (all remarkable for
having the (estivation of the calyx valvate) by its l-celled reniform anthers. Dr. Lindley
gives the following brief exposition of its affinities, premising as an anomaly in the order that
“ In Malope the carpels are numerous, and distinct, not arranged in a single row as in the rest
of the order.” “ The relation of Malvaceae with Sterduliaceae, Tiliaceae, and Elceocarpaceae, is
clearly indicated by their general accordance in structure* and especially by the valvate cestiva-
tion of their calyx. With other orders they also agree in numerous points ; as, with Ranun-
culaceae, in the indefinite stamens and distinct aggregate carpels of Malope; with Ternstrce-
miaceae in their monadelphous stamens; with Cklenaceae in the presence of an involucre
below the flower, and monadelphous stamens ,• with Linaceae in their mucilaginous properties,
definite seeds, many-celled fruit, and unguiculate petals ; and through the medium of this last
order with Silenacece.”
E ssential C haracter. Polypetalous dicotyledons. Calyx with valrate oestivation. Stamens
numerous, monadelphous : Anthers one-celled. Ovary wholly superior ; of several carpels
combined into a solid pistil, with more placentas than one. Leaves furnished with stipules.
G eographical D istribution. This, although some species extend nearly to the polar
limits of the temperate zone, may be looked upon as principally a tropical family, the greater
part of them being found either within the tropics, or in the warmer latitudes on their immediate
confines and within that range are very abundant both as to species and individuals. Three or
four only are found in England, but the number is considerable in the south of Europe, while in
the north they altogether disappear. The Indian peninsula presents a catalogue of about 62 or
about g-‘T of the whole phenogamous flora (estimated to amount to 4000 species) which is a
considerably smaller proportion than that of the equinoxial regions of America, in which they
are said to amount to ^ t h or J-0th of the flowering plants. This difference may possibly result
from my having used too high an estimate for the whole flora as according to Brown, the proportion
for tropical India is as high as ~ : this again may be owing to his having included
Byttneriaceae and Bombaceae in his calculation which I have excluded from mine, but which
when included still leaves the proportion below Mr. Brown’s ratio. With the addition of these
orders, the ratio malvales bear to the rest of the flora, estimated as above at 4000, is -%-th which
I believe may be considered a very near approximation to Mr. Brown’s estimate, now that
the proportions have been altered, by the recent discovery of many alpine plants altogether unknown
to Roxburgh, from whose materials Mr. Brown’s estimate is deduced.
P roperties and U ses. Mankind are largely beholden to this order, more so perhaps than
to any other, as supplying them with food, medicine, shelter and clothing.
The uniform character of Malvaceae is to abound in mucilage and to be totally destitute of
unwholesome properties. Such being the case, it is to be expected that many of them are employed
as food : among these may be enumerated our Hibiscus (Abelmoschus) esculentus the
mucilaginous fruit of which is our well-known Bandikai : Hibiscus Cannabinus, the leaves of
which are eat as spinach, while the fibres of the bark is twisted into a kind of cordage : the
Hibiscus Subdariffa or rozelle from the fleshy acid calyx of which, excellent jelly, and tart fruit,
are prepared: and many others.
In medicine nearly the whole tribe are employed, as affording medicines possessing demulcent,
and emollient properties. The marsh mallow, and many other allied species are indiscriminately
used as such in Europe, and several species of Abutilon (Sida), such as A. indicum and
Asiaticum are similarly employed in this country. The yellow juice, as well as strong infusions of
the bark of Thespesia (Hibiscus) populnea (Portia tree) are employed by native practitioners
for the cure of cutaneous diseases. An infusion of the roots of Pavonia odorata is prescribed
as a diet-drink in fevers. Other species of this order are, and nearly all from their mucilaginous
properties, may be, similarly employed. The petals of Hibiscus Rosa Sinesis (Shoe-flower or
China-rose) communicate, when rubbed on paper, a bluish purple tint which forms a very excellent
substitute for Litmus paper as a chymical test. I t has been already remarked
that the fibres of the bark of Hibiscus Cannabinus are employed in the formation of course
cordage, those of most of the larger kinds might be thus used, as in all they are very strong.
The heart wood of Thespesia (Hibiscus) populnea is dark coloured and very hard, somewhat resembling
that of the chesnut, and like it, adapted for the formation of gun stocks and similar
purposes requiring a hard close grained, but not heavy or large sized, timber, which this rarely
becomes, owing to the white outside portion being like that procured from all the other arbo-
rious forms occurring in the order, soft and of little value.
This last named species enjoys in a remarkable degree, a peculiar tenacity of life, large
branches, after being severed from the trunk, surviving long enough to admit of their taking
roof, when planted as cuttings, like slender slips, and in a few months presenting the appearance
of very respectable sized trees. It is worthy of remark however, that the trees so produced,
rarely produce seed though they flower freely, and what is perhaps not less deserving of notice,
they all deday in the centre, hence it is now rare among them to meet with either the mature
fruit, or a sound timber tree, the practice of thus propagating them by cuttings, in place of by
seed, for so long a time, having 'a t length apparently destroyed their reproductive power, and
deteriorated the quality of their vegetation.
But it is in their last mentioned capacity, that Of affording clothing, that the Malvaceae,
become the greatest benefactors of mankind,. Cotton being the produce of a genus
of plants appertaining to this order. The genus Gossypium from which it is derived,
embraces but few species, and these of difficult discrimination, owing to long culture having
caused them to run into every variety of form. So great indeed is their tendency to run into
variations that some Botanists have even doubted whether there are more than two distinct, and
permanently distinguishable species, among the whole host of forms that have by different authors
been supposed entitled to rank as such;
TO some it may appear a question of little moment whether we consider all these
forms as species or varieties so long as they continue permanent. This is partly true,
but at the samp, time it is desirable to ascertain what are species and what varieties, since
the term species implies permanency, while variety conveys exactly , the opposite idea, or
that of liability to change under any variation of the circumstances under which they may
be produced, hence their aptitude for culture unchanged in some favoured situations and their
disposition to change in others to all appearance equally favourable. My own observations certainly
lead me to adopt the conclusion, that the species have been unnecessarily multiplied by some,
and reduced too low by others. Thus DeCandolle enumerates 13 species, and Mr. Royle eight,’
both these catalogues will probably be found in excess. Dr. Lush and Jacquemont reduce them
to two. 'These Botanists probably err in' the opposite extreme, but yet, as their opportunities
of observation were great, their statements must be received with deference. They seem to
attach no value to characters taken either from the colour or quality of the wool on the seed,
or the absence or presence of a coating of short hair or down, with which the seed of some
sorts are clothed; neither to the forms of the foliage or-native country, or clothing, or has
bit, of the plants, whether glabrous or hairy, arborious or annual. According to this view the
various Indian forms in which a somewhat palmate form of the foliage prevails and is most
constant, and the American ones figured here under the specific name of G. barbadense, in
which a lobed and angled foliage is equally permanent are all mere varieties of the same plant,
while the form named G. acuminatum is, on account ofits adherent seed alone, looked upon as a
distinct species. With this view I confess I feel disposed to coincide to a great extent, though
not to go the whole length, since I cannot yet bring myself to acknowledge the specific identity
°t the constantly palmated leaved and hispid Indian forms, and the equally permanently lobed
and angled leaved and glabrous American forms. The more so,-as these forms retain their peculiarities
of foliage in all the varied situations and circumstances in which they have been made
t0 in all the four quarters of the world. Under this view, 1 acknowledge three species as cer