Malacothamnus Greene

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Malacothamnus Greene

Descripción

Spreading or erect shrubs or subshrubs, usually densely stellate-pubescent. Leaves petiolate, the blades orbicular to ovate, unlobed to deeply 3-5-lobed, subentire to serrate; stipules subulate to lanceolate or falcate, inconspicuous. Inflorescences paniculate, racemose, or spicate, the flowers more or less congested in cymose clusters in the axils, rarely solitary, subsessile or pedicellate; involucellar bracts 3, usually persistent, subulate to filiform, rarely ovate; calyx shallowly or deeply 5-lobed; petals whitish to rose or lavender; androecium included, antheriferous at apex, the column glabrous or pubescent, the anthers pallid to deep red; styles 7-14, exceeding the androecium, the stigmas capitate. Fruits schizocarpic, subglobose or oblate, apically stellulate; mericarps 7-14, more or less reniform, thin-walled, dehiscent to the base; seeds solitary, minutely stellulate pubescent or rarely glabrous. Base chromosome number: x = 17.A

Discusión taxonómica

Malacothamnus occurs principally in California and Baja California, and includes eleven species, four of which occur in Mexico.A

Bibliografía

A. Fryxell, P. A. 1988: Malvaceae of Mexico. – Syst. Bot. Monogr. 25: 1-522