Malvella

Jaubert & Spach

Ill. Pl. Orient. 5: 47, plate 444. 1855.

Common names: Alkali mallow
Etymology: generic name Malva and Latin -ella, diminutive
Synonyms: Disella Greene
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 301. Mentioned on page 215, 216, 217, 218.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA6 P35 Malvaviscus arboreus.jpegMalvaviscus arboreus var. arboreus
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Malvella leprosa
Malvella sagittifolia
Meximalva filipes
Linny Heagy
Linny Heagy
Linny Heagy
Linny Heagy
Linny Heagy

Herbs, perennial. Stems prostrate, with stellate and lepidote pubescence, not viscid. Leaves alternate and distichous; stipules persistent, subulate, 3–5 mm; blade asymmetric basally, [± flabellate], reniform, or ovate to triangular, not dissected or parted, base asymmetric, margins dentate, serrate, or entire, surfaces stellate or lepidote. Inflorescences axillary solitary flowers; involucel present or absent, bractlets 0–3, persistent or caducous, distinct. Flowers: calyx not accrescent, not inflated, lobes unribbed, ovate or cordate, stellate or lepidote; corolla whitish or pale-yellow, sometimes with pink flush or fading pale rose; staminal column included; style 7–10-branched; stigmas capitate. Fruits schizocarps, erect, not inflated, oblate, not indurate, minutely hairy; mericarps 7–10, 1-celled, dorsally rounded, essentially unornamented, lateral walls persistent, essentially indehiscent. Seeds 1 per mericarp, glabrous. x = probably 16.

Distribution

United States, Mexico, South America (Peru to Uruguay), Europe, Asia (Asia Minor)

Discussion

Species 4 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaf blades wider than long, ± reniform, apex obtuse or subacute, indument predominantly stellate; involucellar bractlets usually 3, sometimes 0; calyx lobes ovate, bases not overlapping. Malvella leprosa
1 Leaf blades longer than wide, ovate to triangular, apex acute, indument ± silvery-lepidote; involucellar bractlets usually 0, rarely present; calyx lobes ± cordate, bases plicate-overlapping > 2
2 Leaf blades ± triangular, length 1–2(–3) times width, margins irregularly dentate, surfaces often with at least some stellate hairs mixed with silvery scales. Malvella lepidota
2 Leaf blades narrowly triangular, length 3–5(–6) times width, margins hastate-toothed at base, surfaces silvery-lepidote. Malvella sagittifolia
... more about "Malvella"
Paul A. Fryxell† +  and Steven R. Hill +
Jaubert & Spach +
ovate +  and triangular not dissected or parted +
caducous +  and persistent +
not inflated +
not accrescent +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
Alkali mallow +
rose +, fading pale +, pale-yellow +  and whitish +
United States +, Mexico +, South America (Peru to Uruguay) +, Europe +  and Asia (Asia Minor) +
sparse;copious +
generic name Malva and Latin -ella, diminutive +
pistillate +  and staminate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
oblate +  and not inflated +
axillary +  and terminal +
tough-fibrous +
connate +  and distinct +
simple +, stipulate +, sessile +, subsessile +  and petiolate +
distichous +  and alternate +
cordate +  and ovate +
entire +, serrate +  and dentate +
3-40-carpellate +
(1-)2-many +
adnate +  and distinct +
Ill. Pl. Orient. +
reniform +
persistent +
sessile +  and subsessile +
not viscid +
filiform +, linear +  and capitate +
1-2 times number of carpels +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
7-10-branched +
Disella +
Malvella +
Malvaceae subfam. Malvoideae +
monoecious +, dioecious +  and hermaphroditic +