Sphaeralcea

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Malvales

Familia: Malvaceae
Subfamilia: Malvoideae
Tribus: Malveae
Genus: Sphaeralcea
Species: S. ambigua – S. angustifolia – S. australis – S. axillaris – S. bonariensis – S. brevipes – S. caespitosa – S. chenopodifolia – S. coccinea – S. cordobensis – S. coulteri – S. crispa – S. decipiens – S. digitata – S. emoryi – S. endlichii – S. fendleri – S. fulva – S. fumariensis – S. gierischii – S. grossulariifolia – S. hainesii – S. hastulata – S. incana – S. janeae – S. laciniata – S. laxa – S. leptophylla – S. lindheimeri – S. mendocina – S. miniata – S. moorei – S. munroana – S. obtusiloba – S. orcuttii – S. palmeri – S. parvifolia – S. pedatifida – S. philippiana – S. polychroma – S. procera – S. psoraloides – S. purpurata – S. reflexa – S. rusbyi – S. sulphurea – S. tehuelches – S. velutina – S. wrightii
Name

Sphaeralcea A.St.-Hil., , Fl. Bras. Merid. (A. St.-Hil.). 1: 163 (ed. fol.). (1825)

Type species: Sphaeralcea bonariensis Ball, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 27: 478 (1891)

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Sphaeroma (DC.) Schltdl. non Sphaeroma Latreille (1802)

References

Saint-Hilaire, A.F.C.P. de 1825. Flora Brasiliae Meridionalis 1: 163 (ed. fol.).
Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Sphaeralcea in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan. 7. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2021. Sphaeralcea. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan. 7. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Sphaeralcea. Published online. Accessed: Jan. 7 2021.
Tropicos.org 2021. Sphaeralcea. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2021 Jan. 7.

Vernacular names
English: Globe Mallows
suomi: Malviot

Sphaeralcea is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae). There are about 40-60 species, including annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Most originate in the drier regions of North America, with some known from South America. They are commonly known as globemallows, globe mallows, or falsemallows. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek words σφαῖρα (sphaira), meaning "sphere," and αλκεα (alkea), meaning "mallow."[2]

The leaves of these plants are spirally arranged, and usually palmate or toothed. Both stems and leaves are downy. Like other Malvaceae, the flowers are saucer- or cup-shaped, with the stamens joined into a column in the center.

Sphaeralcea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia olivacea, which has been recorded on S. lindheimeri.

Selected species

Sphaeralcea ambigua A.Gray – Desert globemallow
Sphaeralcea angustifolia (Cav.) G.Don – Copper globemallow, narrowleaf desertmallow
Sphaeralcea australis Spegazzini - Southern globemallow
Sphaeralcea bonariensis (Cav.) Griseb. – Latin globemallow
Sphaeralcea caespitosa M.E.Jones – Tufted globemallow
Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb. – Scarlet globemallow, red globemallow, red falsemallow
Sphaeralcea coulteri (S.Watson) A.Gray – Coulter's globemallow
Sphaeralcea digitata (Greene) Rydb. – Juniper globemallow, slippery globemallow
Sphaeralcea emoryi Torr. ex A.Gray – Emory's globemallow
Sphaeralcea fendleri A.Gray – Fendler's globemallow, thicket globemallow
Sphaeralcea gierischii – Gierisch mallow
Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (Hook. & Arn.) Rydb. – Gooseberryleaf globemallow, currantleaf globemallow
Sphaeralcea hastulata A.Gray – Spear globemallow, spreading globemallow
Sphaeralcea incana Torr. ex A.Gray – Gray globemallow, soft globemallow, azeentliini
Sphaeralcea janeae (Welsh) Welsh – Jane's globemallow
Sphaeralcea laxa Wooton & Standl. – Caliche globemallow
Sphaeralcea leptophylla (A.Gray) Rydb. – Scaly globemallow
Sphaeralcea lindheimeri A.Gray – Woolly globemallow
Sphaeralcea munroana (Douglas ex Lindl.) Spach ex A.Gray – Munro's globemallow, whitestem globemallow
Sphaeralcea nutans
Sphaeralcea obtusiloba (Hook.) G.Don
Sphaeralcea orcuttii Rose – Carrizo Creek globemallow
Sphaeralcea palmeri
Sphaeralcea parvifolia A.Nelson – Smallflower globemallow, littleleaf globemallow
Sphaeralcea pedatifida (A.Gray) A.Gray – Palmleaf globemallow
Sphaeralcea philippiana
Sphaeralcea polychroma La Duke – Hot Springs globemallow
Sphaeralcea procera – Luna County globemallow
Sphaeralcea psoraloides Welsh – Psoralea globemallow
Sphaeralcea rusbyi A.Gray – Rusby's globemallow, cutleaf globemallow
Sphaeralcea subhastata
Sphaeralcea sulphurea
Sphaeralcea wrightii A.Gray – Wright's globemallow[3][4]

Formerly placed here

Iliamna rivularis (Douglas) Greene (as S. acerifolia Torr. & A.Gray and S. rivularis (Douglas) Torr.)
Phymosia umbellata (Cav.) Kearney (as S. umbellata (Cav.) G.Don)[4]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sphaeralcea.
Wikispecies has information related to Sphaeralcea.

"Genus: Sphaeralcea A. St.-Hil". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
Quattrocchi, Umberto (2000). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names. IV R-Z. Taylor & Francis US. p. 2529. ISBN 978-0-8493-2678-3.
"Sphaeralcea". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
"GRIN Species Records of Sphaeralcea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 2000-11-19. Retrieved 2011-08-01.