Family · Rosids
Malvaceae
Mallows — cotton, cacao, okra, hibiscus
Often mucilaginous plants with showy five-parted flowers and fused stamens; includes cotton, cacao, okra and hibiscus.
- Accepted species
- 5,608accepted names · Kew WCVP
- Genera
- 251accepted genera · Kew WCVP
- Origin
- ≈38 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
- Centre of diversity
- Southern Americamost native species · WGSRPD
Open Malvaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.›
Plants you might know
- Gossypium
- Theobroma
- Hibiscus
Largest genera
Hibiscus321 spp.
Pavonia292 spp.
Grewia277 spp.
Sida277 spp.
Ayenia217 spp.
Dombeya199 spp.
Sterculia183 spp.
Triumfetta178 spp.
Abutilon176 spp.
Hermannia170 spp.
Cola139 spp.
Nototriche118 spp.
Sabdariffa117 spp.
Alcea83 spp.
Microcos83 spp.
Corchorus74 spp.
Helicteres74 spp.
Melhania74 spp.
Matisia67 spp.
Melochia63 spp.
Malva62 spp.
Quararibea61 spp.
Waltheria61 spp.
Callianthe56 spp.
Gossypium55 spp.
Lasiopetalum55 spp.
Pachira54 spp.
Pterospermum52 spp.
Sphaeralcea49 spp.
Theobroma41 spp.
Brachychiton40 spp.
Gaya39 spp.
Tilia39 spp.
Leptonychia38 spp.
Trichospermum38 spp.
Wissadula38 spp.
Colona35 spp.
Heritiera35 spp.
Eriotheca34 spp.
Androcalva33 spp.
Thomasia31 spp.
Pentace30 spp.
Brownlowia29 spp.
Durio29 spp.
Sidalcea29 spp.
Eriolaena28 spp.
Pseudobombax28 spp.
Tarasa28 spp.
Acropogon27 spp.
Cienfuegosia27 spp.
Commersonia25 spp.
Anoda24 spp.
Malvastrum23 spp.
Nesogordonia22 spp.
Acaulimalva21 spp.
Ceiba21 spp.
Hampea21 spp.
Malacothamnus21 spp.
Peltaea21 spp.
Pterygota21 spp.
The 191 smaller genera are in the interactive tree.
Where it grows
- Southern America1,921
- Africa1,560
- Asia-Tropical890
- Northern America649
- Australasia568
- Asia-Temperate447
- Pacific123
- Europe62
Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.
Related families
Malvaceae sits in the order Malvales.