MALVA MULTIFLORA

Family and Genus:- See- MALVACEAE

Common Names:- Cretan mallow, Lesser tree mallow.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Malope multiflora, Lavatera cretica.

Meaning:- Malva (L) Soft.

Multiflora (L) Many-flowered.

General description:- Usually erect, biennial or perennial.

Stems:-

1) 30-90 cm tall, sparsely pilose with simple, tubercle-based hairs.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 20 cm, suborbicular-cordate, with 5-7 short lobes.

2) Blade, of the lower leaves shallowly 5-lobed, crenate; those of upper somewhat

more deeply lobed.

Flower:-

1) In irregular clusters in the leaf axils.

2) Pedicels, rather long and slender.

3) Epicalyx segments, 3, free, broadly ovate, fused at the base for c. 1/3 of their

length.

4) Sepals, c. 8 mm, broadly triangular.

5) Petals,15-30 mm, at least 3 times as long as the calyx, pinkish-mauve with

darker veins.

Fruit:-

Mericarps, 7-9(-11), smooth or slightly ridged; angles rounded.

Key features:-

1) Sepals, only slightly increasing in length or thickness with age (accrescent).

2) Mericarps, smooth or slightly ridged; dorsal face and angles rounded.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy coastal habitats, field margins, roadsides, olive groves,

wasteground. 0-400(-700) m.

Distribution:- Mediterranean region and W. Europe, northwards to S.W. England.

Fairly widely distributed on Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to early June, (later in irrigated areas).

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis