Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao, and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ornamentals, such as Alcea (hollyhock), Malva (mallow), and Tilia. The genera with the largest numbers of species include Hibiscus, Pavonia, Sida, Ayenia, Dombeya, and Sterculia.
Trichomes ; from Ancient Greek τρίχωμα (tríkhōma) 'hair') are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant is an indumentum, and the surface bearing them is said to be pubescent.
Nepenthes longifolia is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of between 300 and 1100 m above sea level. The specific epithet longifolia, formed from the Latin words longus (long) and folius (leaf), refers to the exceptionally large leaves of this species.
Nepenthes papuana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to New Guinea. The specific epithet papuana is derived from Papua, an alternative name for the island.
Eurybia divaricata, the white wood aster, is an herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. It occurs in the eastern United States, primarily in the Appalachian Mountains, though it is also present in southeastern Canada, but only in about 25 populations in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In the U.S. it is abundant and common, but in Canada it is considered threatened due to its restricted distribution. It has been introduced to a number of countries in Europe. It can be found in dry open woods as well as along wood-edges and clearings. The species is distinguished by its flower heads that have yellow centers and white rays that are arranged in flat-topped corymbiform arrays, emerging in the late summer through fall. Other distinguishing characteristics include its serpentine stems and sharply serrated narrow heart-shaped leaves. The white wood aster is sometimes used in cultivation in both North America and Europe due to it being quite tough and for its showy flowers.
Eurybia is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae that were previously included in the genus Aster. Most species are native to North America, although one is also present in northern Eurasia. There are 23 species in the genus, including 1 natural hybrid. The name was first applied by Alexandre de Cassini in 1820. The name is derived from Ancient Greek εὐρύς (eurús), meaning "wide", and βαιός (baiós), meaning "few", perhaps in reference to the small number of relatively wide ray florets.
Malacothamnus (bushmallow) is a genus of shrubs and subshrubs found throughout much of mainland California and on three of the Channel Islands. Outside of California, Malacothamnus is known from the northern half of Baja California, from a disjunct location in central Arizona, and possibly from a historic location that may have been in southern Arizona or adjacent Mexico. Plants of this genus are most commonly found in early-successional, post-burn plant communities. Malacothamnus are currently thought to be most closely related to the Iliamnas of the US interior and the Phymosias of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Malacothamnus davidsonii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Tujunga bushmallow and Davidson's bushmallow. It is endemic to Los Angeles County, California, where it primary occurs in and near Big Tujunga Canyon, Little Tujunga Canyon, and Tujunga Wash. The common name Tujunga bushmallow alludes to its geographic distribution. Plants of what has historically been considered Malacothamnus davidsonii from Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties in California were described as the new species Malacothamnus discombobulatus in 2023 based on phylogenetic, morphological, and geographic evidence.
Malacothamnus palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Cambria bushmallow and Palmer's bushmallow. It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California, where it is known from the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Quercus parvula, the Santa Cruz Island oak, is an evergreen white oak found on north-facing Santa Cruz Island slopes and in the California Coast Ranges from Santa Barbara County north to Mendocino County. It was taxonomically combined with Quercus wislizeni until resurrected as a separate species by Kevin Nixon in 1980. The type locality of Q. parvula var. shrevei is Palo Colorado Canyon in Monterey County. It is placed in Quercus section Quercus.
Nepenthes robcantleyi, or Robert Cantley's pitcher plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippine island of Mindanao. It is closely allied to N. truncata and was once considered a dark, highland form of this species. Nepenthes veitchii from Borneo is also thought to be a close relative.
Drosera peruensis is a carnivorous plant of the genus Drosera, commonly known as the Peruvian sundew. This Drosera species was first identified in Peru in 2002 by Tânia Regina dos Santos Silva and Mireya D. Correa following work to update the genus Drosera for the reference text, Flora Neotropica..
Trompettia cardenasiana is a species of nightshade that is a spiny shrub bearing very small leaves, 0.35–0.5 cm (0.1–0.2 in) by 0.1–0.12 cm (0.04–0.05 in), a yellow trumpet-shaped campanulate flower, measuring about 3 cm (1.2 in) long and globose fruit. The growth habit is somewhat reminiscent of certain Lycium species. It is endemic to Bolivia, growing in dry, Andean valleys at altitudes of 2,000–2,500 m (6,600–8,200 ft) and 3,000–3,500 m (9,800–11,500 ft) and has been collected near the town of Cotagaita in Potosí Department.
Malacothamnus enigmaticus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name enigmatic bush-mallow. It is endemic to the Peninsular Ranges of California and Baja California, Mexico extending from the San Ysidro Mountains in the north to the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir in the south. It was first collected in 1938 and described as a new species to science in 2019. Prior to 2019, it had been mistakenly assigned to Malacothamnus aboriginum and Malacothamnus densiflorus.
Malacothamnus lucianus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Santa Lucia bushmallow and Arroyo Seco bushmallow and by the cultivar name Hanging Valley bushmallow. It is endemic to Monterey County, California, where it is known from the Santa Lucia Mountains.
Goethalsia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae. It only contains one species, Goethalsia meiantha(Donn.Sm.) Burret It is within the Grewioideae tribe.
Malacothamnus mendocinensis is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Mendocino bushmallow. It is endemic to Mendocino County, California, where it is known from only two populations. It was presumed extinct until rediscovered in 2016 and now has a California Rare Plant Rank of 1B.1. In some treatments, Malacothamnus mendocinensis has been included within Malacothamnus fasciculatus or Malacothamnus hallii. Phylogenetic and morphological evidence, however, indicate that it is not closely related to these species and should be recognized as a separate species.
Malacothamnus astrotentaculatus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name starry-tentacled bushmallow. It is named after the somewhat tentacle-like outgrowths on the calyx that are covered in stellate trichomes. It is endemic to Shasta and Tehama counties in California.
Malacothamnus eastwoodiae is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Alice’s lovely bushmallow. It is named after the botanist Alice Eastwood. It is endemic to Santa Barbara County, California and currently only known from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Malacothamnus discombobulatus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name discombobulating bushmallow. It is morphologically similar to Malacothamnus davidsonii and was treated within M. davidsonii in the past. Malacothamnus discombobulatus is named after the confusion sown from its morphological similarity to M. davidsonii. It is endemic to Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties in California.
