Pavonia
(named after Don Jose Pavon, a Spanish traveller in Peru, one of the authors of "Flora Peruviana et Chilensis"; he died in 1844). Including Lebretonia and Lopimia. ORD. Malvaceae. A genus comprising upwards of sixty species of tomentose, hispid, or glabrescent, stove herbs or shrubs. Ten or eleven are natives of Africa, tropical Asia, or the Pacific Islands; the rest are all indigenous to South America or the warmer parts of North America, one of the South American species being also found in Australia. Flowers of various colours, pedunculate or in congested heads at the apices of the branches; calyx five-fid or five-toothed; petals spreading or convolute-connivent. Leaves often angular or lobed. Few of the species have any horticultural value. They thrive in any light, rich soil. Cuttings will root readily if inserted in sand, under a glass; increase may also be effected by seeds. All the under-mentioned species are shrubs. P. malacophylla (soft-leaved). fl. scarlet, axillary, solitary or crowded at the tips of the branches; corolla flat. February. l. orbicular, cordate, coarsely toothed. h. 4ft. New Grenada, 1823. (B. M. 4365, under name of Lopimia malacophylla.) P.multiflora (many-flowered).* fl. solitary in the upper axils, and forming a short, terminal corymb; bracteoles red, hairy, numerous below the flower, whorled, longer and narrower than the purplish calyx segments; petals dull purple, 1in. to 1 1/2 in. long, rolled together, narrowly obovate-oblong. September. l. alternate, 6in. to 10in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad, narrowly oblong, or obovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate, serrulate or denticulate; petioles 1 1/2in. to 3in. long. Brazil. A robust plant. (B. M. 6398.) P. Schrankii (Schrank's). fl. on solitary, axillary peduncles; corolla orange-coloured, yellow at base, above 1 1/2in. long, 2in. across; petals imbricated and convolute. July. l. scattered, spreading wide, 3 1/2in. broad, ovate, sub-cordate at base, acuminate. Branches erect. h. 2ft. Brazil, 1823. (B. M. 3692.) SYN. Lebretonia coccinea.
P.Spinifex (prickly-fruited). fl. yellow; pedicels axillary, one-flowered. July and August. l. ovate, acuminate, almost cordate, doubly toothed. Warm parts of America, 1778. (B. R. 339.) P. Makoyana and P. Wioti (B. H., 1875, vii.) are species of Goethea.
