Malvaceæ

Malvaceæ, a natural order of exogenous plants, of which about 1000 species are known, chiefly tropical and most abundant in America, although the most important species belong to the Old World. They are herbaceous plants, shrubs, and occasionally in tropical countries trees; with alternate entire or lobed leaves; the flowers showy, generally on axillary stalks. The plants of this order have a great general similarity both in appearance and in properties and products. All contain a mucilaginous substance in great quantity, and some are very useful as an emollient and demulcent in medicine. The seeds contain a considerable quantity of bland fixed oil. The inner bark of the stem often yields a useful fibre, for which species of Hibiscus and Sida are particularly valued; and to this order belong the cotton plants.—See COTTON, HIBISCUS, HOLLYHOCK, MALLOW, MARSH-MALLOW, &c.