Malvaviscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, placed in the order Malvales. The genus comprises roughly ten accepted species of shrubs and small trees native to the Americas, ranging from the southeastern United States south through Mexico, Central America, and into South America. Plants in this genus are commonly called Turk's cap mallow, wax mallow, sleeping hibiscus, or mazapan — names that reflect the distinctive flower form: the petals remain tightly furled into a tube or spiral and never fully open, even at peak bloom, giving flowers the appearance of a sleeping or half-open hibiscus blossom.
Malvaviscus is closely related to Hibiscus but is distinguished by several characters. The fruit is a schizocarp that splits at maturity into five separate fleshy segments, rather than a dry capsule; the style bears 10 capitate or capitellate stigmas rather than the 5 found in Hibiscus; and the petals are distinctly auriculate (ear-lobed at the base). The fruits are red and fleshy, making them attractive to hummingbirds and other wildlife that act as seed dispersers and pollinators. The name Malvaviscus is derived from the Latin words malva (mallow) and viscus (sticky), an allusion to the mucilaginous sap characteristic of the genus.
The most widespread species, Malvaviscus arboreus (including its varieties drummondii and mexicanus), is widely cultivated as an ornamental shrub in warm climates and is naturalized across much of tropical and subtropical America. Its fleshy fruits and flowers are edible: the fruit is used to make jellies and syrups, and both fruit and flowers are brewed into herbal teas. Other species include Malvaviscus elegans, M. oaxacanus (endemic to Oaxaca, Mexico), M. urticifolius, M. concinnus, M. palmatus, and several others distributed across Mesoamerica and northern South America.
Etymology
The genus name Malvaviscus combines the Latin malva ("mallow") and viscus ("sticky" or "glutinous"), referring to the mucilaginous sap produced by members of the genus — a property shared with many relatives in the mallow family Malvaceae.
Distribution
Malvaviscus species are native to the Americas. M. arboreus, the most widespread species, occurs from the southeastern United States south through Mexico, Central America, and into South America. M. palmanus is recorded from Costa Rica, and M. oaxacanus is known from Oaxaca, Mexico. Several species are also widely cultivated as ornamentals in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Cultural Uses
The fleshy red fruits of Malvaviscus can be eaten fresh or used to make jellies and syrups. Both the fruits and flowers are used to prepare herbal teas in parts of Mexico and Central America.
