pentandra

Pentandra is a botanical genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. The genus has tropical distributions, with occurrences reported in Africa, southern Asia, and the Pacific in various taxonomic treatments. The circumscription of Pentandra has varied; some classifications recognize Pentandra as a distinct genus, while others place species within related genera in Sterculioideae, reflecting historical changes in Malvaceae.

Description: Plants historically assigned to Pentandra are typically woody, often evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves are simple and arranged alternately. Flowers are hermaphroditic, often with five petals, and can be showy in some species. The fruit is usually a dry capsule or a pod containing seeds, with dispersal mechanisms depending on the species.

Etymology: The name derives from Greek elements pente (five) and andros (male), a reference to floral features in taxa once placed in the genus.

Taxonomy: Modern classifications increasingly rely on molecular data, which has challenged traditional boundaries; accordingly, some authorities have revised the status of Pentandra, either downgrading it to synonymy with related genera or reaffirming it as a separate genus. As a result, accepted species and distribution may vary among floras and databases.

See also: List of Malvaceae genera, Sterculioideae.

Note: Because taxonomic placement of Pentandra has varied across sources, readers may encounter differing treatments in regional floras and online databases.