Malvaceae A number of species, including "Hibiscus syriacus", "Hibiscus rosa-sinensis" and "Alcea rosea" are garden plants. 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 ornamentals, such as "Alcea" (hollyhock), "Malva" (mallow) and "Lavatera" (tree mallow). The largest genera in terms of number of species include "Hibiscus" (300 species), "Sterculia" (250 species), "Dombeya" (250 species), "Pavonia" (200 species) and "Sida" (200 species). The circumscription of the Malvaceae is controversial. The traditional Malvaceae
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary including oil and gas extraction, anchoring on the reefs, and harvesting fish, corals and other invertebrates. With passage of the Marine Research and Sanctuaries Act in 1972, researchers began discussing the Flower Garden Banks as a candidate for designation as a National Marine Sanctuary. During the 1980s, recreational divers were also discovering the Flower Garden Banks. The Houston Underwater Club led a movement to have the banks officially designated as sanctuaries by submitting a formal letter of nomination in 1979. Due to a number of issues, eleven years passed before the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary was officially established.