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Flores dioici! Involucellum nullum. Calyx terea, 5-dentatus. Tubus stamineous simplicissiumus, ad apicem in filamenta 15–20 uniserialia solutus. Stylus intus longitudinaliter stigmatosi. Fructus 8–10-coccus, depressus; carpellis subreniformibus muticus, monospermis, ab axi secunditibus. Semen reniforme. Radicula centripeto-infera. — Herba procera, foliis palmato-multifidis lacinatis maximis, floribus umbellato-fasciculatis parvis.
NAPÆA, Clayt. Fl. Vir. ed. 1, & ed. 2, p.
102. Linn. Gen. Pl. 838, ex parte. Gray, Man. Bot. N. U. S. p. 69, & Pl.
Fendl. p. 20
SIDÆ Sp., Cav, D.C, Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Am.
Glade Mallow
FLOWERS diœcious. CALYX naked (not involucellate), terete, somewhat turbinate, rather deeply five-toothed, the triangular teeth valvate in æstivation, persistent. PETALS 5, obovate, entire, convolute in æstivation, hypogynous; their claws adnate to the base of the stamineal column. STER. FL. STAMENS 15 to 20, monadelphous in a simple hypogynous column, the dilated base of which coheres with the claws of the petals: FILAMENTS a single series at the summit of the column, short: ANTHERS reniform, (by confluence) one-celled. PISTILS abortive. FERT. FL. Stamineal column 15-20-lobed at the apex, not antheriferous. OVARIES 8 or 10, united in a circle around a central receptacle: STYLES as many as the ovaries, united below, the distinct portion filiform, stigmatose (minutely hispid) for the whole length of the inner face. OVULE solitary in each carpel, peritropous-ascending, amphitropous; the micropyle pointing to the base of the cell.
FRUIT depressed , formed of a ring of 8 or 10 chartaceous cuneate-reniform and beakless (barely apiculate) smooth carpels, which at length separate and fall away from the small central axis, finally bursting on the inner edge or tardily two-valved. SEED reniform, smooth. EMBRYO arcuate-incurved in soft albumen: COTYLEDONS ovate, foliaceous, somewhat infolded: RADICLE centripetal-inferior.
HERB tall and coarse, from a perennial root, with large palmately 7–11 parted alternate leaves; the lobes acuminate, pinnatifid-incised and toothed. Stipules ovate, free. Flowers small, umbellate-fascicled at the summit of the flowering branches, together forming an ample corymbose panicle. Petals white.
ETYMOLOGY. Named by Clayton from ναπη, a wooded valley, or mountain glade, or poetically, the nymph of the groves, alluding to the situations in which the plant grows.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION &c. Only a single species of the genus is known, which was discovered in the Valley of Virginia, growing in rich calcareous soil, and is also found in similar situations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. Linnæus added, as a second species, the N. hermaphrodita or N. laevis, well known in the gardens (a plant of uncertain, though said to be North American, origin) which, not withstanding considerable resemblance in habit, is a genuine Sida (S. Napaea, Cav.), and from which the original Napaea is abundantly distinguished by its inferior radicle, introrsely stigmatose styles, and diœcious flowers.
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