• Plants (Kingdom Plantae)

• Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)

• Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)

• Dicots (Class Magnoliopsida)

• Mallows, Rock-roses, and Allies (Order Malvales)

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Order Malvales is a large and diverse order of flowering plants (angiosperms) comprising more than 7,000 species distributed throughout tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions of the world. Members include herbs, shrubs, vines, and trees that occupy habitats ranging from rainforests and savannas to coastal dunes and deserts. Many species are characterized by alternate leaves, showy flowers with five petals, numerous fused stamens, and the presence of mucilage or star-shaped hairs. The largest family is Malvaceae, which includes many economically important plants such as Cotton, Cacao, Okra, and Hibiscus.