Modiola is a genus in Malvaceae family (Mallow Family).
It's a monotipic genus. Than means it contain only one species.
Modiola caroliniana.
Common name: Carolina Bristlemallow, Red Flowered Mallow, Carolina Mallow
I found it in South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, Corpus Christi, Nueces co. Texas. (see note 1)
For those who don't know. South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, is not a typical botanical garden. Besides collections of plants and different areas specially designed for certain plants, like Rose Garden, Arid Garden, or plants collection (Orchids, Bromelias, Plumeria) they have a particularly huge area to display and preserve natural habitat. So a wild area. For nature lovers and wild flowers is a great area of interest with an easy access. Has only one disadvantage. Just a few hours to visit, is not enough.
Pictures taken on April, 10 2010 in Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas.
Habit
Flower
Leaves (see note 2)
Notes:
1.The plant is not reported in the USDA for Nueces County. See, the county distribution, in the state of Texas, on the page below.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/co...
This does not mean it can not be.
Unfortunately, I did not know about that and I did not pay attention to find more plants. Perhaps, it is not abundant in the area. Or maybe I did not saw them, my attention being attracted to other plants.
My impression, for distribution on the map, is that the plant can be found everywhere along the coast of Texas. But perhaps it is not abundant everywhere.
2. Leaves are variable in shape: reniform (shaped like kidney), round, or triangular. Lobate to palmately lobed.
Compare with this
uploaded by Horntoad in The All Things Plants Database
3. Some authors consider it to be native to southern U.S.
http://www.wildflower.org/plan...
others consider it "probably" native to South America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...
4. Links
http://alabamaplants.com/Redal...
http://www.fireflyforest.com/f...
An link from Australia
http://keys.lucidcentral.org/k...
Interestingly, they mention "not noxious." But the others say it is noxious.
