Malvaceae
Malva

Malva sylvestris L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 689 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Europe to Central Asia and W. Himalaya. It is a biennial or perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

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
[AERP]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1600–2600 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Cundinamarca.
Habit
Shrub.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Malvaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit
Erect perennial up to c. 1 m. tall; stems sparsely hirsute with simple or stellate usually spreading hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-lamina of basal leaves 5–10 cm. in diam., shallowly crenate, of upper leaves ± deeply 5-lobed with crenulate-serrate lobes, glabrous except for a strigose pubescence on the main veins; petiole (2) 4–9 (16) cm. long, pubescent in an adaxial groove, otherwise glabrous; stipules 5–10 × 2–5 mm. obliquely ovate, serrate, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 2·5–5 cm. in diam., mauve-purple, or light magenta with darker purple veins, 2–5-fasciculate or in short racemes; pedicels 1–2 cm. long, glabrous or sparsely hirsute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx
Bracts of epicalyx 2/3 the length of the calyx, oblong-lanceolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx stellate-pilose, not enlarged in fruit; lobes ovate-deltoid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 1·5–2 cm. long; claw barbate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Staminal tube setose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Mericarps 9–11, dorsally reticulate, usually glabrous.
[FZ]

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 blanca, malva común, malva morada, malva pequeña, malva silvestre, malvarrosa
[UNAL]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
[UPFC]

Common Names

unknown
blue mallow herb, common mallow, khabazee, king-kee yoh, mallow

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • EBC Common Names

    • Common Names from Kew's Economic Botany Collection https://www.kew.org/science/collections-and-resources/collections/economic-botany-collection

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0