Diversity:  A family of 75 genera and over 1,000 species of herbs and shrubs that includes taxa domesticated for food (okra - Abelmoschus esculentus), fiber (cotton - Gossypium), and ornament (Hibiscus, hollyhock -  Alcea)

Distribution:  World wide, but most diverse in the tropics.  The Texas flora includes 31 genera, 94 species, and 15 infraspecific taxa.

Floral structure:

Significant features:  Vegetative characters include a general palmate pattern of leaf structure (a 'subset' character relative to pinnate), mucilaginous sap (okra), an epicalyx (many genera), and unusual, often complex trichomes.  The androecium of the Malvaceae, with its monadelphous stamens, is a primary key character.  This is supplemented by the pentamerous, actinomorphic corolla that is basally adnate to the androecium.  The syncarpous (or rarely monocarpic) gynoecium matures to form either a capsule, a schizocarp (carpels separate as dispersal units, no dehiscence), or - rarely - a berry.
 
 

Hibiscus - with monadelphous stamens forming a tube through which the style emerges	Abutilon - palmate pattern of lef venation and lobing	Callirhoe involucrata - (wine cup) - epicalyx, calyx, and coroll

 

A hollyhock (Alcea rosea) with schizocarpic fruit.

 

A cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) capsule with and without comose seeds

  An exception, the baccate or berry-like fruit of local species Malvaviscus arboreus

More information on the Malvaceae