title: Melhania ovata
text: # Melhania ovata
  
  Melhania ovata is a plant in the family Malvaceae.
  
  ## Description
  
  Melhania ovata grows as a suffrutex (subshrub) or shrub up to 1 metre (3 ft) tall. The elliptic to ovate leaves are tomentose above and measure up to 8.5 cm (3 in) long. Inflorescences are two to three-flowered or have solitary flowers, on a stalk measuring up to 4.5 cm (2 in) long. The flowers have yellow petals.
  
  ## Distribution and habitat
  
  Melhania ovata is native to tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan. In Pakistan, it was known from Balochistan but rare and considered possibly introduced. Its habitat is in grassland and wooded bushland at altitudes of about 500–1,900 m (1,600–6,200 ft).
  
  