''Sphaeralcea'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the mallow

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

(

Malvaceae 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 ...

). There are about 40-60

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

, including

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

s, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

. They are commonly known as globemallows, globe mallows, or falsemallows. The name of the genus is derived from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

words σφαῖρα (''sphaira''), meaning "sphere," and αλκεα (''alkea''), meaning "mallow." The leaves of these plants are spirally arranged, and usually palmate or toothed. Both stems and leaves are downy. Like other Malvaceae, the

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are saucer- or cup-shaped, with the stamens joined into a column in the center. ''Sphaeralcea'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including '' Schinia olivacea'', which has been recorded on ''S. lindheimeri''.

Selected species

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Sphaeralcea ambigua ''Sphaeralcea ambigua'', is a species of flowering plant commonly known as desert globemallow or apricot mallow, is a member of the genus '' Sphaeralcea'' in the mallow family (Malvaceae). It is a perennial shrub native to parts of California, N ...

'' A.Gray – Desert globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea angustifolia'' (Cav.) G.Don – Copper globemallow, narrowleaf desertmallow *''Sphaeralcea australis'' Spegazzini - Southern globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea bonariensis'' (Cav.) Griseb. – Latin globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea caespitosa'' M.E.Jones – Tufted globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea coccinea'' (Nutt.) Rydb. – Scarlet globemallow, red globemallow, red falsemallow *'' Sphaeralcea coulteri'' (S.Watson) A.Gray – Coulter's globemallow *''

Sphaeralcea digitata ''Sphaeralcea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America ...

'' (Greene) Rydb. – Juniper globemallow, slippery globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea emoryi'' Torr. ex A.Gray – Emory's globemallow *''

Sphaeralcea fendleri ''Sphaeralcea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America ...

'' A.Gray – Fendler's globemallow, thicket globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea gierischii'' – Gierisch mallow *'' Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia'' (Hook. & Arn.) Rydb. – Gooseberryleaf globemallow, currantleaf globemallow *''

Sphaeralcea hastulata ''Sphaeralcea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America ...

'' A.Gray – Spear globemallow, spreading globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea incana'' Torr. ex A.Gray – Gray globemallow, soft globemallow, ''azeentliini'' *'' Sphaeralcea janeae'' (Welsh) Welsh – Jane's globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea laxa'' Wooton & Standl. – Caliche globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea leptophylla'' (A.Gray) Rydb. – Scaly globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea lindheimeri'' A.Gray – Woolly globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea munroana'' (Douglas ex Lindl.) Spach ex A.Gray – Munro's globemallow, whitestem globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea nutans'' *'' Sphaeralcea obtusiloba'' (Hook.) G.Don *'' Sphaeralcea orcuttii'' Rose – Carrizo Creek globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea palmeri'' *'' Sphaeralcea parvifolia'' A.Nelson – Smallflower globemallow, littleleaf globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea pedatifida'' (A.Gray) A.Gray – Palmleaf globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea philippiana'' *'' Sphaeralcea polychroma'' La Duke – Hot Springs globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea procera'' – Luna County globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea psoraloides'' Welsh – Psoralea globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea rusbyi'' A.Gray – Rusby's globemallow, cutleaf globemallow *'' Sphaeralcea subhastata'' *'' Sphaeralcea sulphurea'' *'' Sphaeralcea wrightii'' A.Gray – Wright's globemallow

Formerly placed here

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Iliamna rivularis ''Iliamna rivularis'', known by the common name streambank wild hollyhock, is a perennial plant species in the family Malvaceae. Description The plant typically grows 3 to 6 feet tall from a woody caudex and produces dense racemes of soft laven ...

'' (Douglas) Greene (as ''S. acerifolia'' Torr. & A.Gray and ''S. rivularis'' (Douglas) Torr.) *'' Phymosia umbellata'' (Cav.) Kearney (as ''S. umbellata'' (Cav.) G.Don)

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q936759 Malvaceae genera