SPECIES DESCRIPTION
LAVATERA ARBOREA
Family and Genus:- See- MALVACEAE
Common Names:- Tree mallow
Homotypic Synonyms:- Althaea arborea, Anthema arborea, Lavatera arborea
var. genuina, Malva arborea, Malva dendromorpha, Malva fastuosa.
Meaning:- Lavatera (L) For the Lavater brothers, eighteenth-century Swiss
naturalists.
Arborea (L) Tree-like, branched.
General description:- Stout biennial or short-lived perennial, woody at the base,
stellate-tomentose on the twigs.
Stem:-
1) To 3 m, woody below, hairy when young.
Leaves:-
1) Long-petiolate, blade, suborbicular to reniform, up to 20 cm wide, cordate, allowly
5-7-lobed. pale green, covered with small whitish hairs.
Flower:-
1) In clusters of 2-7.
2) Pedicels, 1-2·5 cm, shorter than the subtending petiole.
3) Epicalyx-segments 8-10 mm, suborbicular to ovate-oblong, obtuse, longer than
the sepals, strongly accrescent, patent in fruit.
4) Calyx, with 5 free sepals, finished by ± acute, triangle-shaped tooth.
5) Sepals, c. 4 mm, triangular, acute, connivent in fruit.
6) Petals, 15-20 mm, lilac, with purple veins and base.
Fruit:-
1) Mericarps, 6-8, glabrous or tomentose; dorsal and lateral faces ridged; angles
sharp.
Key features:-
1) Epicalyx-segments longer than sepals, at least in fruit.
2) Sepals, c. 4 mm, triangular, acute, connivent in fruit.
Habitat:- Dry rocky slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation and open coniferous
woodland, also along roads and in ruderal habitats. 0-500 m.
Distribution:- From Portugal and NW Africa eastwards to the Balkans. Limited
distribution on Crete mainly coastal islets
Flowering time:- Apr-June.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
