Anisodontea

{{short description|Genus of South African plants}}

{{More footnotes needed|date=April 2017}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Anisodonteahypomandarum1.JPG

| image_caption = Anisodontea × hypomandarum

| taxon = Anisodontea

| authority = C.Presl

| display_parents = 2

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = 19; see text

| subdivision_ref = {{cite web |title=Anisodontea C.Presl |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:25783-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=9 January 2024}}

|synonyms = Malveopsis {{small|C.Presl}}

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Anisodontea is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Malveae of the mallow family Malvaceae. It comprises 19 species native to South Africa and Lesotho. Members of the genus typically bear toothed leaves with three or five palmate, uneven lobes. Members of the genus also typically bear flowers with a pubescent calyx, a five-petaled corolla streaked from the center and pink to magenta in color, and stamens with anthers of a dark color.

==Cultivation==

Members of the genus are classed as half-hardy. They thrive in cool-temperate climates and are used as summer bedding and in mild coastal areas where they may be grown as border plants. For several species, the seeds should be sown in spring. Half-harden cuttings should be taken in summer but need bottom heat. They do best in loam-based gritty compost and positioned in full sun.

Anisodontea capensis, the African mallow, is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/1298/Anisodontea-capensis/Details | title = Anisodontea capensis | website = www.rhs.org | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 12 April 2020}}