MalvaceaeMallow Family ca. 200 genera />2300 species

Hisbiscus (rose mallow)Abutilon (Indian mallow)Sphaeralcea (globemallow)MalvastrumSidaAnodaGossypium (cotton)

Malvaceae

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Connate sepals

Stellate hairs

Malvaceae

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Hibiscus sp.

Epicalyx

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Epicalyx

Parted stigma

= involucre that resembles outer calyx

Stamens are monadelphous

(united by filamentsand forming a tubearound gynoecium)

Life FormTrees, shrubs, lianas or herbs. Flowers bisexual and regular with epicalyx.

Leaves usually alternate, simple with palmate veination and sometimes lobes; stellate or peltate trichomes.

Five to numerous stamens fused to each other around the style and forming a tube (monodelphous). Usually five carpels fused into superior ovary that split into wedges in fruit.

Five fused sepals and five free petals. Petals are convolute (corkscrewed) in bud.

Stems and Leaves

Perianth

Flowers and Inflorescence

Reproductive Structures

Fruit

Five-locular capsule/schizocarp/berry.

Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Spharalcea sp.

Malvaceae

S. fendleriS. fendleriS. fendleriS. fendleriS. laxaS. laxaS. laxaS. laxa