Malvaceae
/ˌmælˈveɪsiːi/noun
A botanical family of flowering plants that includes mallows, hibiscus, cotton, and cacao.
Did you know?The name comes from Latin malva, the ancient word for mallow, while the botanical ending -aceae was formalized to identify plant families.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μαλάχη (maláchē)
“Mallow, the flowering plant; the source is ancient but its deeper origin is uncertain.”
Classical Latin
Latin
malva
“Mallow, a plant used medicinally and as food.”
18th Century
New Latin
Malva
“The botanical genus containing the mallows.”
1789
New Latin
Malvaceae
“The plant family name formed from Malva with the family suffix -aceae.”
Modern English
English
Malvaceae
“The family including mallows and related plants such as hibiscus, cotton, and cacao.”
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