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
Clusia rosea with its many aerial roots. The flowers are white. The upper leaf tissue registers 'writing' giving it the common name autograph tree. The tree produces a fleshy, light green but poisonous fruit; once the fruit has split, the seeds are favored by birds and other wildlife. This plant is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for its flowers, foliage, and fruit. It is planted in gardens as a fruiting and ornamental tree in sub-tropical climates, and used as a houseplant in many climates. "Clusia rosea" has become a great threat to Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and many other tropical countries as an