Malva unguiculata

Malva unguiculata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Malva
Species:
M. unguiculata
Binomial name
Malva unguiculata
(Desf.) Alef.[1]
Synonyms
Synonym list
    • Althaea unguiculata (Desf.) Kuntze
    • Lavatera unguiculata Desf.
    • Lavatera bryoniifolia Mill.
    • Lavatera sphaciotica Gand.
    • Lavatera tomentosa Dum.Cours.

Malva unguiculata, the bryony-leaved tree-mallow,[2] is a very tall perennial tree-mallow with large pink flowers native to the East Mediterranean.

Description

A very tall (3 m) tree-mallow, notable for the 3-5-triangular-lobed leaves whose end lobes are much to very much larger than the side lobes. The pinkish to violet flowers (petals 20–25 mm) have pale centres and are in groups of 1–2 at the leaf stalks, flower stalks short, reaching only 15 mm at fruiting. Found at cliffs and streambanks, in Turkey 0–130 m.

The stem below is trunk-like and hairless, parts above with starlike hairs (stellate) giving a dusty whitened look.

The 3-part epicalyx is stellate-haired and mostly embraces the calyx like a cup. Fruit segments are rough but not rugose.[3][4][5]

Distribution

Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Crete, Libya, Palestine, Sicilia, Turkey.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Plants of the World Online (with map)
  2. ^ iNaturalist: Malva unguiculata
  3. ^ P H Davis. Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, vol. 2. (as L. bryoniifolia)
  4. ^ George E Post. Flora of Syria, Palestine, and Sinai ed. 2 vol. 1. (p. 238, as L. tomentosa)
  5. ^ Arne Strid. Atlas of the Aegean Flora Part 1. (p. 399, as M. unguiculata)


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