Melhania velutina

Melhania velutina is a plant in the family Malvaceae, native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Melhania velutina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Melhania
Species:
M. velutina
Binomial name
Melhania velutina
Synonyms[1]
  • Dombeya velutina (Forssk.) Willd.
  • Melhania ferruginea A.Rich.
  • Melhania malacochlamys K.Schum.
  • Pentapetes velutina (Forssk.) Vahl

Description

Melhania velutina grows as a herb or subshrub up to 1 metre (3 ft) tall, rarely to 2.5 m (8 ft). The ovate leaves are tomentose above and measure up to 13 cm (5 in) long. Inflorescences have a solitary flower or two to four-flowered cymes, on a stalk up to 8.5 cm (3 in) long. The flowers have yellow petals. The fruits are ovoid and measure up to 1 cm (0.4 in) long.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Melhania velutina is native to an area from Angola northeast to Sudan and east to Somalia. It is also native to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.[1] Its habitat is in woodland, grassland, riverside forests and agricultural land, typically at elevations of 700–1,950 m (2,300–6,400 ft).[2]

References

  1. "Melhania velutina". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. Cheek, Martin; Dorr, Laurence J. (2007). Beentje, Henk (ed.). Sterculiaceae – Flora of Tropical East Africa. Vol. 237. East African governments by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 9781842461853 via Plants of the World Online.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.