Alcea Alcea Alcea is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe. The single species of hollyhock from the Western Hemisphere, the streambank wild hollyhock, belongs to a different genus. Hollyhocks are annual, biennial, or perennial plants usually taking an erect, unbranched form. The herbage usually has a coating of star-shaped hairs. The leaf blades are often lobed or toothed, and are borne on long petioles. The flowers may be solitary or arranged in fascicles or racemes. The notched petals are usually over
Cylindropuntia rosea Cylindropuntia rosea Cylindropuntia rosea, the Hudson pear, is a cactus Australian botanists attribute to being native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and Northwestern Mexico. The plant is an invasive species in Australia. "Cylindropuntia rosea", the Hudson pear, has pink flowers and white spines. It has long, white, strong spines and can grow up to 1.5 metres high and 3m wide. It is very similar to "Cylindropuntia tunicata" which also grows in the same region and has yellow and straw coloured flowers. Hudson pear is an intentionally introduced species to Australia, where it has become an invasive species and noxious