Malva parviflora L.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1800–2600 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.

Malvaceae, Bernard Verdcourt & Geoffrey Mwachala. Pavonia, B Verdcourt; Kosteletzkya, OJ Blanchard Jr.; Gossypium, P Fryxell & B Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Type

Type: not cited but presumably plant growing in Hort. Upsal. (In 1763 Linnaeus gave locality as in Barbaria i.e. North Africa, W of Egypt) Linnean Herb. 870. 17 (LINN, lecto.)* (* Abedin considered this to be the holotype and this is equivalent to lectotypification – it is possible it is the holotype.)

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb 5–60 cm, tall with erect, prostrate or ascending ± pubescent branches

Morphology Leaves

Leaves reniform to round in outline, 2.5–10 cm long and wide, cordate at base, ± unlobed to 5–7-lobed, the lobes broadly rounded, crenate-dentate (or in some varieties deeply lobed and sharply acutely dentate), ± stellate-pubescent; petiole 3–7(–17) cm long; stipules lanceolate to ovate, 2–5(–12 fide Townsend) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in axillary fascicles; pedicel up to 2.5 cm long; epicalyx bracts linear, 3.5–7 mm long; calyx 3–5 mm long but distinctly accrescent in fruit to 1 cm, glabrous or shortly pubescent; lobes broadly ovate, acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals white to pinkish with darker lines, obovate, 4.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Mericarps 9–11, 1.5–2 mm long, usually glabrous but sometimes shortly pubescent, conspicuously reticulate dorsally with raised walls; margins carinate to deeply denticulate or ± serrate or forming dentate crests at the sutures; lateral faces with radiating ribs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, 1.4–1.8 mm long, minutely rugulose

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, pubescent to glabrous, with decumbent or ascending stems up to 50 cm long

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with c. 2–10 cm long petiole; blade reniform to suborbicular, shallowly 5–7-lobed, up to c. 7 x 7 cm, with crenate margins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in few-flowered axillary clusters; pedicels 2–12 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx

Epicalyx bracts linear, up to 4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 4 mm long, accrescent in fruit; lobes ovate, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals c. 4 mm long, scarcely longer than the calyx, pink or white

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Mericarps c. 10, 2–2.5 mm long, glabrous, with sharp transverse ridges on the back, strongly ribbed sides, and with sharp edges.

Distribution

N1–3 native of Europe and Asia, now an almost cosmopolitan weed.

Ecology

Altitude range 1150–1450 m.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 1800 - 2600 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

malva, malva tendida

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.