Seedpods of the Malvaceae Family

In most members of this Family, the seedpod is a either a capsule with five sections,
or a ring of flat seeds enclosed in the folded calyx, both formed from a superior ovary.


Alcea Seedpod

The Malvaceae Family includes the following genera:

Abutilon, Althaea, Gossypium, Hibiscus, Hoheria, Kitaibelia, Lavatera, Malope, Malva, Malvastrum, Malvaviscus, Palaua, Pavonia, Sida, Sidalcea, Urena.

There are two distinct types of seedpod in this Family. In many species, there are many disc-shaped seeds in a ring at the bottom of the style, with the calxy folded over them. In some species, there may be only five rounded seeds inside the calyx. In the genera Hibiscus and Gossypium, the seeds are enclosed in a capsule. In one case (Malvaviscus), the fruit is a berry. The fruit is always formed from a superior ovary.

Some examples of seedpods of plants in this Family are:


Hibiscus

Abutilon

A. vitifolium

Malva

M. Moschata

Pavonia

For more information on this Plant Family, click here

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