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Malvales

Malvales

9.9
A group of flowering plants that includes cotton and cacao
  • noun
  • /mælˈveɪlz/
  • Specialized
: Malvales
  • The Malvales order contains many economically important plants, including cotton and cacao.

Examples

  • Recent genetic research has clarified the evolutionary relationships within the Malvales.

  • Botanists study the diverse floral structures found throughout the Malvales.

  • The order Malvales includes many beautiful flowering plants.

  • Did you know that Malvales are known for their diverse families?

  • The Malvales order contains many economically important plants, including cotton and cacao.

  • Recent genetic research has clarified the evolutionary relationships within the Malvales.

  • Botanists study the diverse floral structures found throughout the Malvales.

Surface Forms

Malvales singular
Malvales plural

Morphology

Malvales = Malvaceae (opaque) = malv + ales

The name is a specialized botanical formation (combining form 'malv-' + order suffix '-ales') that is not transparently meaningful to average learners.

Etymology

Malvales comes from Malva, the Latin name for mallow plants, and the ending -ales, which marks a plant 'group' or 'order'. So Malvales literally means the 'mallow group' of flowering plants — think of the 'mallow' in 'marshmallow' and familiar plants like cotton and cacao to remember it.