The Family Malvaceae (sensu stricto) in Texas
Date
2022-08
Authors
Gates, Marquise
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Abstract
Taxonomic keys are helpful devices that allow instructors, students, botanists, and others to identify unknown plant specimens. With respect to the flora of Texas, many of the currently available keys for flowering plant identification have become outdated due to changes in the classification system and may cause confusion for users when the keys are based on obscure or highly technical characteristics of the plants. A good example is provided by the mallow family (Malvaceae) in Texas. The mostly widely available keys to the family are those presented by Correll and Johnston (1970); however, these keys are largely based on technical characteristics that can be difficult for the inexperienced user to recognize or interpret, making accurate identifications difficult and uncertain.
This thesis focuses on producing new keys and a revised taxonomic treatment for the identification of members of the plant family Malvaceae in Texas. The keys are based on first-hand observation of specimens on deposit in the Biology Department Herbarium at Texas State University (SWT), as well as reviews of online specimen data and images and relevant literature citations. Thirty-one genera and eighty-eight species of Malvaceae are recognized in this treatment as being native or naturalized to Texas. A description of each genus is provided, along with keys and descriptions of the Texas species.
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Keywords
Malvaceae, Taxonomy
Citation
Gates, M. (2022). <i>The family Malvaceae (sensu stricto) in Texas</i> (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.