MALVACEAE Juss.
Family composed of 243 genera and some 4,225 species of cosmopolitan distribution. In North Africa, in terms of ± woody taxa, it is represented by 12 genera with tree, shrub and herbaceous species, with stems somewhat lignified. Corchorus L., could also be added, with the species C. depressus (L.) Stocks [Antichorus depressus L., C. antichorus (L.) Raeusch., C. microphyllus Fresen.], with creeping, herbaceous stems, slightly lignified at the base, but only 20(40) cm in height; elliptic leaves with crenate margin; pentamerous flowers, solitary; yellow corolla and fruit in capsule 1-1.5 cm, cylindrical, slightly curved, with 4 valves. It grows from the Cape Verde Islands to India. In North Africa, it is found in the southern Sahara and the Sahel, reaching in the N to Algeria, Libya and Egypt.
Tate, J.A., Aguilar, J.F., Wagstaff, S.J., La Duke, J.C., Bodo Slotta T.A. & Simpson, B.B. 2005. Phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Malveae (Malvaceae, subfamily Malvoideae) as inferred from ITS sequence data. – Amer. J. Bot. 92: 584-602.
Key to genera
1 Leaves ovate-orbicular, with rounded or cuneiform base. Flowers with white petals. Fruits in orange-red berries 2
1 Leaves ± cordiform. Flowers yellow or pink. Fruits in capsules 3
2 Flowers in racemes; fruits covered with recurved spines Triumfetta
2 Flowers solitary, arranged in umbels or compound cymes in the axils of leaves; fruits without spines Grewia
3 Leaves and stems villous-whitish. Fruits in globose capsules, hidden by 3 large reddish bracts, broadly cordiform. Flowers pinkish or yellowish 4
3 Leaves with yellowish pubescence. Fruits composed of numerous carpels arranged around an axis, wrapped by persistent calyx 5
4 Trees; petals absent; flowers unisexual or polygamous, inflorescences in terminal panicles; fruits in follicles, without epicalyx Sterculia
4 Shrubs; petals present; flowers bisexual, axillary, solitary or in small groups forming umbelliform cymes; fruits in capsules, enclosed by accrescent epicalyx composed of 3 bracteoles Melhania
5 Epicalyx absent 6
5 Epicalyx present 7
6 Flowers large, conspicuous; fruits 1-2 cm Abutilon
6 Flowers small; fruits 3-8 mm Sida
7 Epicalyx with segments in shape of leaf, exceeding the calyx Gossypium
7 Epicalyx without these characters 8
8 Epicalyx with 3 segments; flowers pink purple or white 9
8 Epicalyx with 5-12 segments 10
9 Epicalyx with 3 connate segments Lavatera
9 Epicalyx with 3 free segments Malva
10 Fruits in dehiscent capsules Hibiscus
10 Fruits in schizocarps of numerous mericarps 11
11 Epicalyx with capillary segments, twice as long as calyx Pavonia
11 Epicalyx ± equal to calyx Alcea
Updated by: A. F. Carrillo & F. Alcaraz.