Melhania ovata

Melhania ovata is a plant in the family Malvaceae.

Melhania ovata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Melhania
Species:
M. ovata
Binomial name
Melhania ovata
(Cav.) Spreng.[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Brotera leprieurii Guill. & Perr.
  • Brotera ovata Cav.
  • Hibiscus azbenicus Miré & H.Gillet
  • Melhania abyssinica A.Rich.
  • Melhania leprieurii (Guill. & Perr.) Webb
  • Melhania oblongata Hochst. ex Mast.
  • Melochia ovata (Cav.) Desf.
  • Pentapetes leprieurii (Guill. & Perr.) Steud.
  • Sprengelia modesta Schult.

Description

Melhania ovata grows as a suffrutex (subshrub) or shrub up to 1 metre (3 ft) tall. The elliptic to ovate leaves are tomentose above and measure up to 8.5 cm (3 in) long. Inflorescences are two to three-flowered or have solitary flowers, on a stalk measuring up to 4.5 cm (2 in) long. The flowers have yellow petals.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Melhania ovata is native to tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan.[1] In Pakistan, it was known from Balochistan but rare and considered possibly introduced.[3] Its habitat is in grassland and wooded bushland at altitudes of about 500–1,900 m (1,600–6,200 ft).[2]

References
  1. "Melhania ovata". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  2. Cheek, Martin; Dorr, Laurence J. (2007). Beentje, Henk (ed.). Sterculiaceae – Flora of Tropical East Africa. 237. East African governments by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 9781842461853 – via Plants of the World Online.
  3. "Melhania ovata". Flora of Pakistan. Retrieved 11 November 2019 – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.


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