Pavonia multiflora

Pavonia multiflora
Botanical illustration of Pavonia multiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Pavonia
Species:
P. multiflora
Binomial name
Pavonia multiflora
     It is endemic to southeastern Brazil
Synonyms
  • Goethea multiflora (A.St.-Hil.) N.E.Br.
  • Malvaviscus multiflorus (A.St.-Hil.) Spach
  • Triplochlamys multiflora (A.St.-Hil.) Ulbr.
  • Pavonia lanceolata Colla
  • Pavonia wiotii É.Morren

Pavonia multiflora, the Brazilian candle plant, is a species of plant in the family Malvaceae endemic to southeastern Brazil. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Description

Botanical illustration of Pavonia multiflora
Pavonia multiflora growing in Farias, Linhares, Espírito Santo, Brasil

Vegetative characteristics

Pavonia multiflora is a 1.5–2.5 m tall, sparsely branched, evergreen shrub with long, lanceolate, markedly serrate, 10–15cm long leaves.

Generative characteristics

The solitary, axillary, erect, bright red to reddish-purple flowers are 3 cm long, and up to 6 cm wide. The flower has a conspicuous red epicalyx and calyx. The flower has 18–20 epicalycular, red or dark pink, filamentous bracts in 2 dimorphic whorls, which enclose the flower. The deep purple petals enclose the central column of stamens. The dark blue stamens with indigo blue pollen protrude from the flower. The small, rounded, capsule fruit is hairy. The flowering period extends from May to October, but in the right conditions this plant can bloom all winter long.

Taxonomy

It was described by Auguste François César Prouvençal de Saint-Hilaire in 1827. The type specimen was collected by A. F. C. P. de Saint-Hilaire in Espirito Santo, Brazil. In cultivation, Pavonia multiflora has been confused with the hybrid Pavonia × gledhillii, which has 9–10 equal, broader bracts, and a sub-entire leaf margin.

Etymology

The genus name Pavonia honours the Spanish botanist José Antonio Pavón and the specific epithet multiflora means many-flowered.

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to southeastern Brazil, where it occurs in the Mata Atlântica Atlantic rainforest. The extent of occurrence is 14530471 km2, and the area of occupancy is 16400 km2.

Conservation

In the Red List of Brazilian Flora from 2012, it was categorised as least concern.

Cultivation

It is normally grown as a houseplant in temperate zones, where it requires a humid environment and temperatures above 10 °C (50 °F). It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The hybrid Pavonia × gledhillii has been confused with Pavonia multiflora and it is more frequent in cultivation than the true Pavonia multiflora.

References

  1. ↑ "Pavonia multiflora". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Pavonia multiflora A.St.-Hil. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:185967-2
  3. 1 2 Bickel, J. (2019, April 26). Pavonia multiflora. Scott Arboretum & Gardens. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://www.scottarboretum.org/pavonia-multiflora/
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Coelho, M. A. N., & d’Avila De Moraes, M. (2012). Pavonia multiflora (MALVACEAE). Red List of Brazilian Flora: National Center for Flora Conservation / Research Institute Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://proflora.jbrj.gov.br/html/Pavonia%20multiflora_2012.html
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Guellier, N. (2024, January 30). Pavonie (Pavonia multiflora), candélabre brésilien. Binette & Jardin. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://binette-et-jardin.ouest-france.fr/dossier-4828-pavonie.html
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Pavonia multiflora Jussieu. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/84088/pavonia-multiflora-jussieu/details
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cheek, M. (1989). A New Name for a South American Pavonia (Malvaceae). Kew Bulletin, 44(1), 145–149. https://doi.org/10.2307/4114654
  8. 1 2 Pavonia multiflora. (2010, May 7). Nederlandse Kuipplantenvereniging. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://kuipplantenvereniging.nl/index/kuipplanten-p-q-r/pavonia-multiflora/
  9. 1 2 Universitetet i Oslo. (n.d.). Pavonia multiflora. Naturhistorisk Museum. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://www.nhm.uio.no/botanisk-hage/avdelinger/victoriahuset/dypdykk-plantene/pavonia-multiflora.html
  10. ↑ "Flowers.About.com". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  11. 1 2 Pavonia multiflora A.St.-Hil. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://www.ipni.org/n/185967-2
  12. ↑ Saint-Hilaire, Auguste de, Cambessedes, J., & Jussieu, Adrien de. (1825). Flora Brasiliae meridionalis (Vol. 1, p. 239). Apud A. Belin. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31619215
  13. ↑ "RHS Plantfinder - Pavonia multiflora Jussieu". Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 72. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  15. ↑ Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. (n.d.). Pavonia × gledhillii Cheek. Biota of New Zealand. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz/scientific-names/cfac9ae2-0013-4018-bbf4-1a30e69f7268

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