MALVA CRETICA

Family and Genus:- See- MALVACEAE/Sect. BISMALVA

Common Names:- Mediterranean mallow, Cretan mallow.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Dinacrusa cretica, Malva althaeoides var. cretica.

Meaning:- Malva (L) Soft.

Cretica (L) From Crete, Cretan.

General description:- An erect, rather delicate-looking, short to medium annual

with long spreading hairs.

Stems:-

1) 10-30 cm, erect, patent-setose, sparingly branched with divaricate branches.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, (sometimes withered at anthesis) long-petiolate, blade orbicular, cordate

at the base, crenate.

2) Upper, usually deeply divided into 3(-5) oblong, dentate lobes.

Flower:-

1) Solitary, axillary, on usually small pedicels, stellate, as well as simple hairs.

2) Petals, 8-20 mm long, slightly exceeding the calyx, bluish-lilac to pale pink.

3) Epicalyx, of 3 narrow, parallel-sided to narrow-triangular lobes.

4) Sepals, 7-10 mm, similar in shape, staminal tube glabrous.

Fruit:-

1) Mericarps, glabrous, dorsal face flat, with numerous small, transverse ridges,

angles slightly winged.

Key features:-

1) Sepals, linear to narrowly triangular, more than 3 times as long as wide.

2) Staminal tube, glabrous.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal areas, dry open shrubby vegetation, field margins, olive groves,

roadsides and ruderal habitats. 0-700(-1100) m.

Distribution:- Coastal areas throughout Greece. Widespread in the Mediterranean

region. Fairly widespread across Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton