Q.Describe the floral characters that distinguish family Malvaceae.

Malvaceae flowers are regular (actinomorphic) and bisexual. The calyx has five sepals fused at the base (gamosepalous), showing valvate aestivation, and is often accompanied by an extra outer whorl of bracteoles called the epicalyx -- a feature that helps recognise the family in the field. The corolla has five free petals with twisted aestivation. The most diagnostic feature is the androecium: numerous stamens whose filaments fuse into a tube (the staminal column) that surrounds the style, with the anthers remaining free at the top -- this monadelphous condition, combined with characteristically kidney-shaped, one-celled anthers, is unique to this family among those studied here. The gynoecium is formed of several fused carpels (multica …

Go whorl by whorl (calyx, corolla, androecium, gynoecium) and lead with the single most diagnostic feature -- the monadelphous staminal …

• Forgetting the epicalyx, a distinctive extra floral whorl of Malvaceae not present in most other families studied. …