Malvaceae

Malvaceae

Trees, shrubs or herbs with alternate, simple or rarely compound, stipulate leaves; sepals 5, valvate, free or connate, petals 5, twisted; stamens many, monadelphous and the stamen tube is adnate to the base of the petals; anthers one-celled; ovary 2- many celled, ovules 1 or more in each cell, placentation axile; fruit of distinct carpels or capsular.

Malvaceae

1 (a) Anther I celled – 2

1 (b) Anther 2 celled – 6

2 (a) Epicalyx present – 3

2 (b) Epicalyx absent – 5

3 (a) Epicalyx segments 5-many, linear to ovate – Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

3 (b) Epicalyx segments at least connate at the base – 4

4 (a) Mericarps indehiscent, but strigose – Malvastrum coromandelianum

4 (b) Mericarps indehiscent, but subbilocular – Alcea rosea

5 (a) Mericarp usually 2 or more seeded, follicular – Abutilon indicum

5 (b) Mericarp 1-seeded, not follicular – 7

6 (a) Stigmas radiate, with each branch of filament column with 2-3 anthers – Bombax ceiba

6 (b) Stigma 5-grooved, Seeds winged in the upper part – Pterospermum acerifolium

5 (b) Mericarp 5-7, pointed awn – Sida acuta

5 (b) Mericarp 10-12 – Sida rhombifolia