Malvaviscus arboreus Cav. Tulipancillo (Malvaceae)

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Chavarria, F., Guadamuz, A., Perez, D., Espinoza, R. and Masís, A. 1998. Malvavisvus arboreus (Malvaceae) Species Page, February 5, 1998. Species Home Pages, Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. http://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr

I. Identification:

Shrub, 4 m tall.

Flower:

The flowers are perfect(Bothe sexes n the same flower) and terminal, solitary or aggregate. The 5 petals overlap one another. Flowering begins in January.

Lateral view
View of the calyx
Front view

Fruit:

The immature fruits are white. When mature, they become red. They are indegiscent and dispersed by amimals.

Lateral view, immature fruit	Front view, immature fruit
Immature seeds

Leaves:

Simple leaves, alternate and triangular to cordate in form. The margin is dentated. The upper surface is dark green and pubescent and the under surface is light green and tomentose.

The laminas are from 3-14 cm. The petiole is cilindrical and from 1-5 cm long.

Bark and wood:

The bark is smooth and grey. The wood is cream.

Whole plant architecture:

Similar species:

Verification:

Previously Hibiscus malvaviscus L.; Malvaviscus lanceolatus Rose (Fryxell 1997).

II.Geographic distribution:

International:

México to the Northern part of South America. From 0 - 2000 m. (Fryxell 1997).

In Costa Rica:

In the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste:

In second growth forest in semideciduous habitats

Map of macro-habitats of the ACG

III. Natural Historia:

IV. How to find:

In the Sector El Hacha, near the los Almendros station on the El tigre trail.

Acknowledgments:

This project was carried out by the Area de Conservación Guanacaste/CR, with help from INBio/CR, ICBG from the Foggarty center, NIH/USA and NSF/USA.

Thanks to Kate Beattie for helping with the image managment and translation of this species page.

Literature cited:

Fryxell. P. A. 1997. Manual de Flora de Costa Rica. En preparación.