YR. BENTHAM ON MALTACEE AND STERCULIACEB:. 97 Notes on Malvacece and Sterculiacecc. By GEORGE RENTHAY,Esq., P.L.S. [Read June 20,1861.1 BOTANISTBappear to be unanimous in bringing together the group of orders designated by Endlicher under the name of Colunanifra, by Brongniart under that of Mnlvoidecc, and included by Lindley in his alliance of Malvales. They are characterized generally by the valvate calyx, contorted petals, monadelphous or indefinite stamens, and syncarpous ovary; and as to habit, by alternate stipulate leaves often toothed or palmately lobed, and a great ten- dency to stellate pubescence. The subdivision of the group, how- ever, has been the object of much diversity of opinion. Whilst A. de St. Hilaire proposed the adoption of two orders only, Mal- vaceze and Tiliacee, the greater number of modern botanists have admitted one or two intermediate ones, Sterculiaceae and Buett- neriaceze ; whilst others enumerate as many as nine distinct orders, Malvaceae, Bombaceae, Sterculiaceae, Lasiopetaleae, Buettneriaceae, Hermanniaceae, Dombeyacee, Tiliaces, and Elseocarpes. The Tiliacele, including Elaeocarpez, characterized by indefinite free or nearly free stamens with 2-celled anthers, have been the subject of a previous paper (Linn. Journ. v. 2nd Suppl.). I have now to offer a few observations on the Malvacese as understood by St. Hihire, characterized by monadelphous stamens, or, in the very few cases where they are free, definite and alternate with the sepals. There is so much intercommunity, both in habit and character, in the various orders or tribes of this group, that the proposal for their union, although not generally adopted, was perhaps the most in conformity to the general principles of the natural method ; yet there is one character, derived from the one- or two-celled anthers, which seems to divide them into two large groups, Mal- vaceae and Sterculiaces, accurately limited (with the exception of a very few species, whose aities are, by other characters, placed beyond doubt) and not unnatural ; and this classification we pro- pose to adopt, in common with the majority of modern botanists, although not with the usual limits. For Bombacee, usually classed as a tribe of Sterculiaceae, have the one-celled an- thers of Malvaceae; and, in their accessory characters, their soft wood, their stamina1 arrangement, the cotton within the cap- sule of SO many of them, show a nearer connexion with some of LINN. PR0C.-BOTANY, VOL. VI. H 98 ME. BENTHAM ON MALVAOEE the arborescent Hibisces than with any true Sterculiaceous ge- nera. It is true that the smooth pollen-grains have been adduced as a positive character connecting them rather with Stereuliace= than with Malvaceae, but its constancy is very far from being proved. The pollen has only been described in a very few genera. As far as my observation goes, it is always tuberculate or murkate in what are considered as true Malvaceae ; but so I have found it also in Xmpea, in several Helicteroid genera, &c.; so that, in the present state of our knowledge, the pollen cannot be taken as furnishing an ordinal character. Although the one-celled anthers are thus taken by common consent as the essential characters of Malvacee, on account of its remarlcable constancy in genera otherwise related, yet it is of very little organic importance. It is not occasioned by the constant abortion of one cell, but by the two cells, placed end to end as in many distinctly two-celled genera, but confluent from a very early period. In many genera no trace of any transverse partition or even contraction can, I believe, be traced at any age ; in others, in the young bud, there is a distinct contraction in the middle of the anther, showing its normal structure. Helicteres, which on many accounts belongs undoubtedly to Sterculiaceae, shows, in regard to the anthers, the passage from the Malvaceous confluent anthers of H. pentasha, &c., to the Sterculiaceous distinctly two- celled ones of IF. myust$olia, &c. ; but here the contraction in the young anthers may, I believe, be found in all the species. MALVACIC~have been distributed into tribes, and the genera circumscribed with so much tact and ability by A. Gray, that I have little to propose in modification of his arrangement, except the addition of one or two genera which had not come under his observation, and the annexation of Bombace=,-in consequence of which I should propose reducing some of his tribes to the rank of subtribes, as will appear in the following enumeration of tribes and genera. Tribus I. MALTEB. Columna staminea apice v. usque ad apicem antherifera. Styli rami tot quot ovarii loculi v. carpella. Carpella matura ab axi v. receptaculo secedentia (exceptis Bastardia et Howittia) . Subtribus 1. MALOPEXCarpella inordinate congesta. Ovula so- litaria, adscendentia. * 8tyli rami loolzgiticdimaliter stigmatosi. Genus :--1. Malope, Limn. AND S'FERCULIACEE. 99 ** Styli rami apice stigmatosi. Genera :-2. Kitaibelia, Willd. j 3. Palava, Cav. Subtribus 2. EUMALTEB.Garpella simplici serie verticillata. Ovula solitaria, adscendentia. * Styli rami intus lonyitudinuliter stiginutosi. Genera :-4. Althaea, Cav. ; 5. Lavatera, Liitn. (Stegia, Moeiich ; Savilziona,Webb ;Nuvma, Webb) ; 6. Malva, Linn. (ex parte); 7. Callirhoe, Nutt. ; 8. Sidalcea, A. Gray ; 9. Napiea, Linn. 0% Styli runzi upice stignautosi. Genus :-lo. Malvastrum, A. Gray. Subtribus 3. SIDEE. Carpella siniplici serie verticillata. Ovula solitaria, pendula. * Styli rami intus lonyitudilzaliter stigmutosi. Genus :-11. Plagianthus, Eorst. (Philippodendron, Poit. ; As- terotrichow, Klotzsch ; Blepharanthemwm, Klotzscli ; Luwren- cia, Hook. ; Wrenciala, A. Gray. ** Styli mini vice stiymatosi Genera:-12. Hoheria, A. Ciclzn. ; 13. Anoda, Cuv. ; 14. Cris- taria, Cuv. ; 15. Gap, H. B. 4 K. ; 16. Sida, finn. (ex parte) (Dictyocarpus, Wight ; 3leischeria, Steud.) ; 17. Bastardia, H. B. 4 h-. Subtribus 4. ABUTILEB. Carpella simplici serie verticillata. Ovula 2- 03 (excepts Wksadulu diveryente), sqius adscen- dentia, nunc alia pendula, alia adscendentia. Genera :-18. Howittia, 3.Miill. ; 19. Kydia, Roxb. ; 20. Wis- sadula, Medik. j 21. Abutilon, Gmrtn. (Beloere, Shuttlew. ; Bustardim sect. Gayoides,Endl.) ; 22. Sphzeralcea, A. de St. Ail. (Sphmroma,Harv. ; Meliphlea, Zucc.) ; 23. Modiola, Mench. Tribus 11. URENEB.Columna staminea extus antherifera, apice truncata v. 5-dentata. Styli rami numero carpellorum dupli. Carpella 5, matura ab axi v. receptaculo secedentia. Genera :-24. Malachra, Linn. ; 25. Urena, Linn. ; 26. Pavonia, Cav. (Lehretonia, Schranck ; Greevesia, F. Dfiill. ; Lopinsia, Nees et Mart. ; Asterochlmu, Garcke) j 27. Goethea, Nees @ illart. j 28. Malvaviscus, Dillen. (Aehuniu, Sw.). Tribus 111. HIsrsoEa. Columna stamha extus antherifera, apice truncata v. 5-dentata, v. rarissime antherifera. Stylus in ramos tot quot ovarii loculi divisus v. subinteger. Capsula loculicide dehiscens, carpellis non secedentibus. Genera :-29. Kosteletzkya, Presl; 30. Decascliistia, W.4 Am.; H2 100 MB. BENTEAM OX MALVACEB 31. Julostyles, Thw. ; 33. Senra, Cav. ; 33. Hibiscus, Linn. (Bombycodendron, Boll. ; Laguncea, Cm. ; Abelmoschus, Me- dik.; Paritiurn, A. de St. €33.) ; 34. Thespesia, Cow. ; 35. Fugosia, Juss. (Redoutea, Vent.) ; 36. Thurberia, A. &ay ; 37. Gossypium, Linn. (Sturtia, R. Br.) ; 38. Lagunaria, Don. Tribus IV. (v. Subordo) BOMBACEE.Columna staminea plus minus divisa in filamenta v. ramos 5-4,singula 3-8-antheri- fera, v. rarius subintegra. Stylus integer v. in ramos tot quot ovarii loculos divisus. Capsula loculicide dehiscens v. indehiscens, carpellis non v. vix rarissime secedentibus. Subtribns 1. ADANBONIEIE.Folia digitata. Bracteolae distinctae v. 0. * Colwmna staminea superne inslamenta numerosa soluta. Genera :--39. Adansonia, Linn. ; 40. Pachira, Aubl. (Carolinea, Linn. fil.) ; 41. Bombax, Linrz. (Eriotheca, Schott ; Xakalia, Schott) . w Columna staminea 53da v. 5-dentata, ramis 2-3-antheriferis. Genera :42. Eriodendron, DC. (Erione, Cmpylanthera, et Gossampinus, Schott) ; 43. Chorisia, a.B. 4 K. Subtribus 2. MATISIEE. Folia simplicia palmatinervia v. saltem basi 3-nervia. Bracteols distincts v. 0. * Petala 5. Blamenta 1-antherqefera,5-10-adelpha v. Ebera. Genera :44. Hampea, Schbcht. ; 45. Scleronema, Benth. ; 46. Cavanillesia, RU~Z4 Pav. (Powretia, Willd., non R. & P.). ** Pctala 5. Anthera secus colunznam v. ejw ramos adnatce. Genera :--47. Matisia, Humb. 4 Bonpl. ; 48. Quararibea, Aubl. ; 49. Montezuma, DO.; 50. Ochroma, Sw. *** Pefala 0. Anfherce 10, lineares, per park ramis columna adnatc, antheras 5 biloculares simulantes. Gtesera :-51. Cheirostemon, Hmb. 4 Boltpl. ; 52. Fremontia, Torr. Subtribus 3. DURIOXEB.Folia simplicia penninervia integerrima subtus uti inflorescentis lepidota. Involucrum calycem cin- gens, demum varie fisaum. Fruetus muricatus. Genera :-53. Cullenia, Wight ; 54. Durio, Rurnph. ; 55. Lahia, Has& ; 56. Boschia, Korth. (Heteropyxis, Griff.) ; 57. Neesia, Blunne (Cotylephora, Meisn.) . AND STEBCULIACEB. 101 A detailed monograph of several of the above genera, especially of those which, like Sida, Abzctibw, Pavorzia, Hibiscus, &c., con- tain numerous widely spread species, is much wanted, but would lead me too far on the present occasion; nor can I stay to inves- tigate or describe many apparently unpublished forms which we possess in our herbaria. There are, however, a few genera on which I should wish to add some observations, or to characterize 8ome of the more remarkable new species. PALATA,Gav. The P. rhornbifolia, Grah., from Lima, is probably