Botanical Family · Malvales
Malvaceae
Mallow/Hibiscus family
71 speciesOrder Malvales8+ well-known plants
The mallow family, expanded to include cotton (Gossypium), okra (Abelmoschus), hibiscus, and the tropical trees cacao and baobab. Characterised by distinctive monadelphous stamens fused into a column. Mucilaginous sap is common throughout the family.
Browse all 71 species ↓
How to recognise the Malvaceae family
- 01
Staminal column (monadelphous)
- 02
Alternate palmately veined leaves
- 03
Mucilaginous sap; often star-shaped hairs
Typical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
Angled Wild MallowAbelmoschus angulosus var. angulosusLady's Finger, Gumbo, OkraAbelmoschus esculentusWhite Wild Musk MallowAbelmoschus ficulneusEdible HibiscusAbelmoschus manihotMusk Mallow, Ambrette, Vegetable Musk, MuskseedAbelmoschus moschatusCurly HerissantiaAbutilon crispumHairy Indian MallowAbutilon hirtumIndian MallowAbutilon indicum subsp. guineensis
All 71 species in MALVACEAE
- Angled Wild MallowAbelmoschus angulosus var. angulosus
- Lady's Finger, Gumbo, OkraAbelmoschus esculentus
- White Wild Musk MallowAbelmoschus ficulneus
- Edible HibiscusAbelmoschus manihot
- Musk Mallow, Ambrette, Vegetable Musk, MuskseedAbelmoschus moschatus
- Curly HerissantiaAbutilon crispum
- Hairy Indian MallowAbutilon hirtum
- Indian MallowAbutilon indicum subsp. guineensis
- Indian MallowAbutilon indicum subsp. indicum
- Ragged MallowAbutilon pannosum
- Persian MallowAbutilon persicum
- Sticky Indian MallowAbutilon ramosum
- Bell MallowAbutilon ranadei
- Redvein AbutilonCallianthe picta
- Floss Silk TreeCeiba speciosa
- Croton Leaf Mysore MallowDecaschistia crotonifolia
- Lobed Leaved Mysore MallowDecaschistia trilobata
- PinkballDombeya wallichii
- Cotton Plant, Tree CottonGossypium arboreum
- American Cotton, Bourbon Cotton, Upland CottonGossypium hirsutum
- Cranberry HibiscusHibiscus acetosella
- Lemon Yellow Rose MallowHibiscus calyphyllus
- Hemp, Kenap, Mesta Deccan HempHibiscus cannabinus
- Lesser Mallow WhiteHibiscus hirtus
- ComfortrootHibiscus hispidissimus
- Lobed Leaf MallowHibiscus lobatus
- Ramma FibreHibiscus lunariifolius
- Tiny White Wild HibiscusHibiscus micranthus
- Cotton Rose, Confederate Rose, Changeable RoseHibiscus mutabilis
- Maple-Leaved MallowHibiscus platanifolius
- Monarch Rose Mallow, Ruby HibiscusHibiscus radiatus
- Shoe-Flower, Chinese Rose, Chinese Hibiscus, Hibiscus, Rose Of China, Tropical HibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensis
- Rozelle, Red Sorrel, Jamaican Sorrell, Red Sorrel, Red TeaHibiscus sabdariffa
- Spider HibiscusHibiscus schizopetalus
- Bush SorrelHibiscus surattensis
- Common HibiscusHibiscus syriacus
- Tree Mallow, Yellow Mallow Tree, Wild ThespesiaHibiscus tiliaceus
- Grape Leaved MallowHibiscus vitifolius
- Roxburgh's Kydia, PulaKydia calycina
- Malva De CaballoMalachra capitata
- Common MallowMalva sylvestris
- Three-Lobe False MallowMalvastrum coromandelianum
- Wax MallowMalvaviscus arboreus
- Wax MallowMalvaviscus arboreus var. mexicanus
- Sleeping HibiscusMalvaviscus penduliflorus
- Provision TreePachira aquatica
- Three Lobed False MallowPavonia odorata
- Pennyroyal Swamp MallowPavonia procumbens
- Ceylon Swamp MallowPavonia zeylanica
- Horn Bean Leaved SidaSida acuta
- Heart-Leaved SidaSida cordata
- Country Mallow, BalaSida cordifolia
- Sticky FanpetalsSida glutinosa
- Mysore FanpetalsSida mysorensis
- Rhombic-Leaf SidaSida rhombifolia subsp. retusa
- Rhombic-Leaf SidaSida rhombifolia subsp. rhombifolia
- Rhombic-Leaf SidaSida rhombifolia subsp. rhombifolia
- Prickly Sida, Prickly MallowSida spinosa
- Mohoe, Sea Hibiscus, Yellow MallowTalipariti tiliaceum
- Portia Tree, Bhendi Tree, Seaside MahoeThespesia populnea
- Portia Tree, Bhendi Tree, Seaside MahoeThespesia populnea
- Caesar Weed, Aramina Fibre, Congo JuteUrena lobata subsp. lobata
- Common Purple MallowUrena lobata subsp. sinuata
- Abelmoschus angulosus var. grandiflorus
- Abutilon neilgherrense
- Decaschistia rufa
- Hibiscus canescens
- Hibiscus furcatus
- Sida rhomboidea
- Sida schimperiana
- Thespesia lampas
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