Malvaviscus
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| Malvaviscus | ||||||||||||
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 Malvaviscus penduliflorus
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Several, see text |
Malvaviscus is a genus of shrubs in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to tropical America from Florida, Texas and Mexico south to Peru and Brazil. The flowers resemble those of the related genus Hibiscus, except that the petals are folded spirally, and open only a short way to form a tube-shaped flower, to encourage pollination by hummingbirds. Common names include Turk's Cap mallow, Wax Mallow, Sleeping Hibiscus, and Mazapan.
Malvaviscus is one of a group of genera which differ from Hibiscus in possessing a fruit divided into 5 separate parts (a schizocarp), and having a style sumounted by 10, rather than 5, capitate or capitellate stigmas. Among those genera Malvaviscus is distinguished by having auriculate petals and red, fleshy fruits.
[edit] Selected species
- Malvaviscus achanioides
- Malvaviscus arboreus
- Malvaviscus concinnus
- Malvaviscus palmanus
- Malvaviscus penduliflorus Cav.
- Malvaviscus williamsii
Some authors list Malvaviscus penduliflorus as Malvaviscus arboreus var. penduliflorus.
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