LAVATERA, in botany, a genus of the polyanthia order, belonging to the monodelphia class of plants. There are several species, most of them herbaceous flowery annuals, or shrubby perennials, growing erect from two or three to eight or ten feet high, garnished with large roundish, heart-shaped, and angular leaves, and quinquepetalous flowers of the mallow kind. They are easily propagated by seed in the open ground in the spring; and thrive best when sown where they are designed to remain.