ALCEA SETOSA

Family and Genus:- See MALVACEAE

Common Name:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Althaea setosa.

Meaning:- Alcea (Gr) A name used by the Greek physician and botanist

Dioscorides.

Setosa (L) Covered with bristles or stiff hairs.

General description:- Medium to tall hairy perennial.

Stem:-

1) Up to 2.5 m tall, sometimes purple-spotted, hispid-setose with long, simple or

fascicled hairs, tomentose with short stellate hairs only when young.

Leaves:-

1) Cordate-orbicular to deltate, the upper usually divided for 1/2-2/3 of the radius

into 3-5 oblong or deltate, obtuse, crenate lobes.

Flowers:-

1) Epicalyx-segments. triangular, acute, sepals similar but rather larger, without

prominent veins.

2) Petals, 35-50 x 40-55 mm, almost contiguous, violet, usually with a yellow base.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, 6 mm, dorsal face densely hairy, with a shallow furrow, angles

rugose, not winged; lateral faces appressed-setose.

Key features:-

1) Upper leaves, not divided for more than 3/4 of the radius.

2) Stem, sparsely setose or ± glabrous at maturity.

3) Mericarp, furrow on dorsal face, rather shallow, largely obscured by hairs, angles

not winged.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Roadsides, field margins, ruderal habitats in towns and villages. 0-400 m.

Distribution:- A few scattered records from mainland Greece and Peloponnisos. -

Also reported from W & S Anatolia, Cyprus and W Syria. Very rare on Crete

currently known from only one location near Istron in the east.

Flowering time:- May-July, sometimes to Sept.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons