Malvaceae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of flowering plants recognized for its members with distinctive flowers and fruits, primarily including various species like hibiscus and okra
2. Comprising a diverse group of flowering plants, this family features many species renowned for their decorative blooms and agricultural significance, such as okra and hibiscus
3. A group of flowering plants characterized by a wide range of species including hibiscus and related genera

Etymology: Malvaceae is the scientific name of the mallow family, and its name comes from the genus "Malva," the mallows. That Latin name is itself older than botany: the Romans used "malva" for the common mallow, a plant whose soft leaves were eaten as a vegetable and whose mucilage was used medicinally. The family name is formed by adding the standard "-aceae" ending, which botanists use for plant families, to the stem of the genus name. The family's most famous members are the hibiscus, cotton, okra, and the cacao-related plants of the wider group, though taxonomists have reshuffled its boundaries several times. Many relatives once placed elsewhere, such as the linden (basswood) trees, were folded into it after DNA studies showed how closely they are related.