''Melhania velutina'' is a plant in the family

Malvaceae Malvaceae (), or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...

, native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Description

''Melhania velutina'' grows as a herb or subshrub up to tall, rarely to . The

ovate Ovate may refer to: * Ovate (egg-shaped) leaves, tepals, or other botanical parts *Ovate, a type of prehistoric stone hand axe * Ovates, one of three ranks of membership in the Welsh Gorsedd * Vates or ovate, a term for ancient Celtic bards ...

leaves are

tomentose Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

above and measure up to long.

Inflorescences In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( pe ...

have a solitary flower or two to four-flowered

cymes In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a main axis ( ped ...

, on a stalk up to long. The flowers have yellow petals. The fruits are

ovoid An oval () is a closed curve in a plane which resembles the outline of an egg. The term is not very specific, but in some areas of mathematics (projective geometry, technical drawing, etc.), it is given a more precise definition, which may inc ...

and measure up to long.

Distribution and habitat

''Melhania velutina'' is native to an area from Angola northeast to Sudan and east to Somalia. It is also native to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Its habitat is in woodland,

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

, riverside forests and agricultural land, typically at elevations of .

References

velutina Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Flora of Angola Flora of Malawi Flora of Saudi Arabia Flora of Yemen Plants described in 1775 Taxa named by Peter Forsskål Afromontane flora {{Malvaceae-stub