Alcea is a genus of over 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe. The single species of hollyhock from the Americas, the streambank wild hollyhock, belongs to a different genus.
Alcea
Hollyhock weevil (Rhopalapion longirostre)
Man carrying a hollyhock float during the Aoi Matsuri procession
Alcea sp.
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 okra, cotton, cacao, roselle and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ornamentals, such as Alcea (hollyhock), Malva (mallow), and Tilia. The genera with the largest numbers of species include Hibiscus, Pavonia, Sida, Ayenia, Dombeya, and Sterculia.
Malvaceae
Swamp rose mallow
Common mallow (Malva sylvestris)
Alcea rosea, the hollyhock, is a common garden flower in Malvaceae