| Family: | Malvaceae |
|---|---|
| Common name: | mallow/cotton family [Zomlefer, pp. 90-94] |
| Diversity: | Worldwide: 80 genera; ~1,000 species U.S.: 27 genera PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 6 genera |
| Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites | |
| Flower | |
|---|---|
K3-5 Co5 S P (5-8) |
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| Sexuality: | bisexual |
| Symmetry: | actinomorphic |
| Inflorescence: | cyme or solitary |
| Calyx (sepals): | usu. 5, separate or basally connate |
| Corolla (petals): | usu. 5, separate, convolute (=rolled together) |
| Androecium: | numerous, monadelphous (filaments united in a tube and basally joined to corolla), anthers unilocular, large pollen |
| Gynoecium: | 5 or more carpels, united, superior ovary (=hypogynous), branched style, ovules have axile placentation |
| Fruit: | usu.capsule or schizocarp |
| Other features: | epicalyx = whorl of bracts below the calyx showy flowers with nectar, seeds often covered in fine hair |
| Vegetative Features | |
|---|---|
| Leaves: | alternate, often palmately lobed and palmately veined, stipulate, usu. stellate hairs (=star-shaped) |
| Life-history: | annual to perennial |
| Habit: | herbs, shrubs, small trees |
| Distribution & Ecology: | cosmopolitan diversity centered in the American tropics |
| Some Northwest Genera: | Sidalcea checker-mallow Malva mallow Iliamna globemallow |
| Economic Importance | |
|---|---|
| Crops: | Gossypium hirsutum cotton Hibiscus esculentus okra (immature fruit) Abutilon jute |
| Ornamentals: | Malva mallows Althaea hollyhock Hibiscus |
| Weedy and pest species: | |
| Examples | Malvaceae Hibiscus |
|---|---|
| Malvaceae Malva |
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| Malvaceae Spaeralceae |
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| click on the genus name for a flower image | |
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