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tree mallow

Cretan mallow, Cretan or smaller tree mallow

Habit Herbs, biennial or perennial, or subshrubs, 1–3 m, stellate-tomentose. Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial, 1–3 m, sparsely stellate-hairy.
Stems

erect, base usually woody.

usually erect, rarely prostrate, base not woody.

Leaves

stipules deciduous, ovate, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, papery, apex acute to obtuse, sparsely stellate-hairy and ciliate;

petiole longer than blade;

blade rounded, shallowly and unequally 5–7(–9)-lobed (lobes obtuse), 5–20 × 5–20 cm, base cordate, margins crenate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces densely soft stellate-hairy especially abaxially.

stipules deciduous, broadly lanceolate to ovate, 4–4.5 × 2 mm, papery, sparsely puberulent, ciliate, hairs simple;

petioles of proximal leaves to 3.5 times as long as blade, usually equaling blade on distal portion of stems, stellate-hairy to glabrate;

blade suborbiculate, 4–10 × 4–10 cm, base cordate, surfaces sparsely stellate-hairy, 3–4 mm, equaling to shorter than calyx, margins entire, apex obtuse, surfaces stellate-hairy.

Inflorescences

axillary, flowers in fascicles.

Pedicels

jointed distally, 0.5–1 cm, not much longer in fruit;

involucellar bractlets connate in proximal 1/3, adnate to calyx, lobes broadly ovate to round, 8 × 5–6 mm, longer than calyx, margins entire, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces stellate-hairy.

Flowers

calyx 3–4 mm, not much enlarged in fruit, densely stellate-canescent;

petals rose to lavender with 5 darker veins, dark purple basally, 15–20 mm, length 4–5 times calyx, apex emarginate;

staminal column 8–10 mm, glabrous proximally, stellate-hairy distally;

anthers purplish;

style (6–)8(or 9)-branched;

stigmas (6–)8(or 9).

calyx (4–)7–8 mm, to 11 mm in fruit, densely soft stellate-hairy;

petals pale pink to white, sometimes drying bluish, usually with 3 darker veins, 10–16 mm, length 2 1/2–4 times calyx;

staminal column 5 mm, densely stellate-hairy;

style 7–10-branched;

stigmas 7–10 (same number as locules).

Seeds

dark brown, 3 mm.

brown, 2.5–2.7 mm.

Schizocarps

8–10 mm diam.;

mericarps (6–)8(or 9), 4–5 mm, margins sharp-angled, apical surface and sides ridged, surfaces glabrous or hairy.

9–12 mm diam., style base often expanded and disclike;

mericarps 7–10, 4 × 4 mm, margins rounded, smooth, usually cross-ridged, surfaces usually glabrous.

2n

= 36, 40, 42, 44.

= 44, 112.

Malva arborea

Malva pseudolavatera

Phenology Flowering Apr–May(–Sep). Flowering mostly Apr–Jun.
Habitat Disturbed areas, coastal bluffs, dunes Disturbed areas, coastal bluffs, dunes
Elevation 0–200 m [0–700 ft] 0–800 m [0–2600 ft]
Distribution
map from FNA
CA; OR; Europe; Pacific Islands (New Zealand); Australia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico (Baja California), Africa (Libya), Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
map from FNA
CA; Europe; w Asia; n Africa; Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Ecuador), s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Malva arborea is infrequently cultivated as a garden ornamental. It is traditionally placed in Lavatera and has three prominent, spreading, rounded, earlike involucellar bractlets and inconspicuous sepals.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Malva pseudolavatera is naturalized in California along the coast and apparently is spreading. The name M. multiflora (Cavanilles) Soldano, Bamfi & Golasso (based on Malope multiflora Cavanilles) has been proposed as the correct name.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Malva Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Malva
Sibling taxa
M. alcea, M. assurgentiflora, M. moschata, M. neglecta, M. nicaeensis, M. parviflora, M. pseudolavatera, M. pusilla, M. sylvestris, M. verticillata
M. alcea, M. arborea, M. assurgentiflora, M. moschata, M. neglecta, M. nicaeensis, M. parviflora, M. pusilla, M. sylvestris, M. verticillata
Synonyms Lavatera arborea Lavatera cretica
Name authority (Linnaeus) Webb & Berthelot: Hist. Nat. Îles Canaries 3(2,1): 30. (1836) Webb & Berthelot: Hist. Nat. Îles Canaries 3(2,1): 29. (1836)
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 288. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill. FNA vol. 6, p. 291. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill.
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