Alcea rosea Alcea rosea Alcea rosea, the common hollyhock, is an ornamental plant in the family Malvaceae. It was imported into Europe from southwestern China during, or possibly before, the 15th century. William Turner, a herbalist of the time, gave it the name "holyoke" from which the English name derives. "Alcea rosea" is variously described as a biennial (having a two-year life cycle), as an annual, or as a short-lived perennial. It frequently self-sows, which may create a perception that the plants are perennial. The plant may flower during its first year when sown early. It will grow in a wide range
Swiftia rosea Swiftia rosea Swiftia rosea is a species of gorgonian-type octocoral in the family Plexauridae. Colonies of this sea fan are usually high. There is usually a single main stem with a few branches at an angle to the main stem but in a single plane. The polyps are in two rows on the thicker branches but near the tips they are closer together and more disordered. The colour of this sea fan is dark red. The polyps are colourless and cannot be retracted back into the branches. This sea fan resembles the closely related but rather less common "Swiftia pallida",