Trees, shrubs, or herbs, often stellate-pubescent, leaves simple, entire or lobed, palmately or pinnately veined, alternate, stipulate; generally with mucilage-canals in bark; flowers perfect, regular, usually rather large, typically 5-merous except for the many (rarely 5) stamens; epicalyx often present just below calyx; sepals mostly connate; petals slightly connate with the stamens at extreme base (corolla and stamens falling as a unit); stamens connate, forming a tube; anthers reniform and 1-celled; ovary superior, 1-many-locular, locules 1-many-ovulate, stigmas 1-many (same number as locules); fruit a capsule or schizocarp, rarely indehiscent- fleshy or dry; seeds often pubescent, endosperm little or none.--About 60 or 70 genera and 1500 species in warm temperate and tropical regions everywhere; several genera of great human value, Gossypium (cotton), Hibiscus (okra, roselle, rope fiber, ornamentals), etc. Nine genera in Guam, of which 2 or 3 have indigenous species, among the 21 species present (two of these being ornamental hybrids).

Herbs, subshrubby, with palmately lobed leaves. Flowers solitary and axil.