Malvaceae

Wissadula Medik.

First published in Malvenfam.: 24 (1787)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropics & Subtropics.

Descriptions

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or shrubby herbs, usually densely clothed in whitish or yellowish tomentum composed of minute stellate hairs; leaves often long-petiolate, cordate, and long- acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary and terminal, loosely paniculate; flowers on long slender pedicels, lacking an epicalyx; calyx broadly 5-lobed; petals yellow or orange
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Staminal column divided at apex into an indefinite number of filaments
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 5-celled; ovules 1 or 3 in each cell; style-branches with capitate stigmas
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits somewhat top- shaped; ripe carpels beaked, the beaks erect or pointing outward, partially divided inside by an incomplete transverse partition sometimes represented by a ring, and opening by two valves; seeds 1–3 in each carpel.
Distribution
A genus of about 40 species, all but a single pantropical one occurring in tropical America.
[Cayman]

Malvaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit
Small erect shrubs or suffrutices.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves usually cordate at the base, acuminate, petiolate, entire or denticulate; stipules setaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers orange, yellow or cream, in a lax panicle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx
Epicalyx absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 5-cleft, stellate-hairy, shallowly saucer-shaped; the lobes longer than the tube, deltoid-ovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obovate or obovate-spathulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Staminal tube very short, ventricose; free parts of filaments numerous, slender, elongate, linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary of 3–5, (1) 2–3-ovulate, free carpels; style short, with 3–5 long terete branches; stigmas capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit of 3–5 free mericarps transversely divided by an internal false dissepiment formed by an oblique constriction of the lateral walls, beaked, pubescent, and ultimately septicidal, the anterior portion sometimes also loculicidal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1–3 per mericarp, subglobose-reniform, pubescent; cotyledons lying one within the other, forming a deeply concave structure.
[FZ]

Malvaceae, Bernard Verdcourt & Geoffrey Mwachala. Pavonia, B Verdcourt; Kosteletzkya, OJ Blanchard Jr.; Gossypium, P Fryxell & B Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs or shrubs with stellate indumentum
Morphology Leaves
Leaves usually unlobed, acuminate at the apex, usually cordate at base; stipules setaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in lax terminal panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx
Epicalyx absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx shallow, 5-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla orange, yellow or cream
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 3–5 free 3-ovulate carpels around a central torus.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style-branches 3–5.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmas capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit of 3–5 mericarps, each transversely divided by a septum formed an oblique constriction of the lateral walls, eventually dehiscing
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1–3 per mericarp, ± globose-reniform, pubescent.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0