Herbs and shrubs, or trees (a few). Mostly 'normal' plants, or switch-plants (Lawrencia helmsii). Mesophytic, or xerophytic. Leaves alternate, spiral, petiolate, non-sheathing or simple. Lamina dissected (usually), or entire; when dissected, palmatifid; palmately veined; cross-venulate. Leaves usually stipulate; without a persistent basal meristem.
Distribution
Frigid zone to tropical. Cosmopolitan tropical and temperate, also Iceland
Floral characters
bisexual and actinomorphic 5 valvate, distinct or basally connate sepals 5 distinct petals that are usually basally adnate to the androecium the androecium consists of very numerous monadelphous stamens the gynoecium is a single compound pistil of 2-many carpels, an equal number of styles or style branches, and a superior ovary with 2-many locules, each bearing 1-numerous ovules. The nectary is on the inside of the calyx and the corolla is fused at most basally only. "Tiliaceae" tend to have earliest stamen initiation in the oppositisepalous position, as in many other Malvales. The carpels are usually opposite the corolla, although not infrequently (e.g. Hibiscus, Fremontiodendron, Sterculia) they are opposite the calyx; when there are three carpels, the median member may be either ad- or abaxial. The flowers of Pavonia can be monosymmetric. Inflorescences: Flowers solitary, or aggregated in inflorescences (in cymes). The inflorescence in most taxa is made up of "bicolor units" - a terminal flower with three bracts, two of which subtend cymose part inflorescences. The epicalyx is formed from bracts, of a reduced cymose part florescence.
Leaf characters
The leaves are alternate, simple, and usually palmately veined; stipules are present. Several taxa have palmate leaves. In Brachychiton (Sterculioideae) and Adansonia there is comparable variation within a flush - the first leaf/leaves have a very short petiole and long, narrow phyllode, while later leaves are palmate; any intermediates have winged petioles and a few leaflets. Hairs present; eglandular, or eglandular and glandular. Complex hairs commonly present; stellate (very commonly), or peltate.
Stipules
present
Fruit characters
The fruit is a loculicidal capsule, schizocarp, berry, or samara. He is non-fleshy (usually), or fleshy; dehiscent, or indehiscent, or a schizocarp. Mericarps when schizocarpic, (1-)5(-100); comprising follicles, or comprising nutlets.
Glands
present
Hairs
present
Latex
absent
Odor
presend or absent
Uses
Ornamental plants: Hibiscus, Abutilon, Malva, Lavatera, Alcea,Stockrose, Dombeya, Sparmania (Zimmerlinde), ect. Eatables: Okra, Cola (Colanuss), Theobroma (Ckoa), Durian zibethinus (Dtinkfrucht aus Australien) Medical Plants: Tilia cordata, T. platiphylus (Linde) Uses: Balsa (leichtes Holz), Gossyum herbaceum (Baumwolle) Anansonia (baobabs)
Chemical characters
Cyanogenic, or not cyanogenic. Alkaloids present (?), or absent (mostly). Proanthocyanidins present, or absent; cyanidin (usually), or cyanidin and delphinidin. Flavonols present, or absent; kaempferol, or quercetin, or kaempferol and quercetin. Sugars transported as sucrose (Abutilon, Hibiscus, Montezuma).
Distribution maps
(online von http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ . Dort zitiert wie unter jedem Diagramm vermerkt):
Unterfamilie Bombacoideae (Malvaceae)
map: based on Aubréville 1974; Wickens 1976; Coates Palgrave 2002; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003; Australia's Virtual Herbarium i.2013
Unterfamilie Grewioideae
map: based on Cheek 2007, modified by Lebrun 1977; Frankenberg & Klaus 1980; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003; Fl. China 12. 2007; Australia's Virtual Herbarium xii.2012
Unterfamilie Byttnerioideae
map: from Cheek 2007; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003; also Australia's Virtual Herbarium i.2013
Unterfamilie Tilioideae
map: from Meusel et al. 1978; Hultén & Fries 1986; Fl. China 12. 2007; Cheek 2007 [Central America]
Unterfamilie Helicteroideae
map: from Cheek 2007
Unterfamilie Dombeyoideae
map: partly from Cheek 2007, see also Wood 1997; Arbonnier 2002; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003; Fl. China 12. 2007; FloraBase i.2013; Australia's Virtual Herbarium 1.2013, etc.
Unterfamilie Brownlodioideae
map: from Cheek 2007; Fl. China 12. 2007
Unterfamilie Sterculioideae
map: from Cheek 2007, see abso Wickens 1976; Arbonnier 2002; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003
Unterfamilie Malvoideae
map: from Hultén & Fries 1986; Meusel et al. 1978; Frankenberg & Klaus 1980; Trop. Afr. Fl. Pl. Ecol. Distr. 1. 2003; Australia's Virtual Herbarium xii.2012; New World: Cheek 2007; Skoggan Fl. Canada 3. 1978
