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41.) MALVACEAE - Mallow family

MALVACEAE - Mallow family

SIDA L.

  • Sida spinosa L. (Prickly Mallow) General Extinct Formerly occurred as a casual amongst Soyabean waste at Avonmouth Docks in 1987-88 when it was very plentiful.

ANODA Cav.

  • Anoda cristata (L.) Schltdl. (Crested Anoda, Spurred Anoda) General Extinct A native of South East North America; formerly a rare casual of rubbish tips and dock yards. Recorded (as var. brachyantha [Stalked glands less rigid, leaves more broadly triangular to slightly palmate-lobate, with larger more conspicuous dentations, flower smaller in all its parts, peduncles more or less equaling petioles (not exceeding them) and stamens less hairy] - no longer recognised today) on waste ground at Ashton Gate, Bristol in 1939 by C.I. & N.Y. Sandwith [specimens in BMAG]; and at Avonmouth Docks (where it was abundant) in 1987-1988 by A.L. Grenfell.

[1939 record mentioned in Bristol Botany in 1939.]

MALVA L.

  • Malva moschata L. (Musk-mallow) / Grassland Frequent Widespread in dry limestone grassland, on roadsides, hedgebanks and open scrub.

  • Malva alcea L. (ssp. alcea) (Greater Musk-mallow) General Very Rare A single plant was found in Bristol City Centre, near the Bear Pit in 2024 by D. Peters.

  • Malva sylvestris L. (var. sylvestris) (M. ambigua Guss.) (Common Mallow) 1917 General Common A generalist; common and well-distributed in a wide variety of disturbed habitats such as roadsides, railway lines, derelict sites, rough grassland, coasts, pavements, track-sides, fallow fields, field margins and spoil heaps. Common Mallow is very variable in growth habit and in the past several varieties were named: var. dasycarpa "A plant in some respects approaching M. nicaeensis...i.e. the hairy reticulate carpels; but differs from that species in shape of leaves and size of flowers" (White, 1912); was found on "Waste ground, St. Philips, Bristol; Aug. 1906." (White, 1912). Var. eriocarpa with a hairy stem and more or less tomentose carpels was "more than a mere hairy-fruited form of M. silvestris, the leaf outline and habit differing widely from the type." It occurred on "Corn-mill refuse near Portishead Dock, North Somerset; July, 1906, and 1911...Barley from Smyrna is the probable source of introduction at Portishead." And another "striking variety...could not be identified. It is a luxuriant plant of erect habit, reaching the height of 6 to 7 feet, and has leaves remarkably truncate at the base. Varies with white flowers. Abundant by the corn-mill at the north end of Portishead Station-yard for three seasons at least, 1904,-5,-6." (White, 1912). "Plants with shaggy fruits, referable to one or other of the above varieties, were still at Portishead Dock in 1932." (Sandwith, 1932). M. ambigua (recorded on waste ground at Brislington, Bristol in 1917 by I.M. Roper) is now considered to be synonymous with M. sylvestris. In addition, various cultivars are grown in gardens and occasionally escape. A beautiful almost blue-flowered form was found at Lawrence Weston in 2022 by D. Peters. Similar plants are grown in cultivation 'Primley Blue' and a darker purple form 'Mystic Merlin' was found at Golden Hill Allotments in 2023 also by D. Peters.

  • Malva nicaeensis All. (French Mallow) 1933 General Extinct Found at Baptist Mills in 1933 by C.I. Sandwith; Ashton Gate in 1937 [BMAG]; and at Bristol in 1949 by C.I. Sandwith.

  • Malva parviflora L. (Least Mallow) / General Extinct A former casual. First recorded "In the disused part of an old quarry at Twerton, 1897, derived from barley-siftings; S. T. Dunn. I saw it there several years afterwards when Miss Martin took me to the place...In October, 1900 there appeared a large patch by a new road through St. Philip's Marsh, where the plant continued in succeeding years...Portishead Station-yard; 1904-10...Abundant in the corner of a pasture above Combe Dingle, 1908-10. Wapping Wharf, Bristol Harbour, 1911." (White, 1912). "With glabrous fruit, Bristol, B.E.C., 1916, 562. St Philip's Marsh, Bucknall...Between Combe and Kingsweston, Westbury on Trym, A.S. Jacques." (Riddelsdell, 1948); Bedminster in 1930 by C.I. Sandwith; on a rubbish tip by the Portway below Sneed Park, Bristol in 1949 by C.I. Sandwith (both as var. microcarpa); Avonmouth Docks in 1984 by A.L. Grenfell; Brislington in 1980s by ?; and last seen at ST57 in 1990s by ? [BSBI record].

  • Malva pusilla Sm. (Small Mallow) 1897 General Extinct A former grain alien. First recorded "At Twerton..., 1897; S.T. Dunn...Plentiful on made ground at St. Philip's, Bristol, 1902-7. A patch of small plants on waste ground between Combe Dingle and the Arbutus Walk, June, 1906." (White, 1912 [as M. borealis]). Apparently formerly "rather common" according to Sandwith (1932) who gives no specific records other than the var. lasiocarpa (merely a hairy-fruited form) - found at St Werburgh's in 1927-8 by C.I. Sandwith. Last recorded from Ashton Gate in 1938 by ?.

  • Malva neglecta Wallr. (Dwarf Mallow) / General Uncommon Widespread on disturbed ground such as around farms and at the bases of walls. A white-flowered form was found at the base of a wall on Church Road, Bishopston, Bristol in 2023 by D. Peters (still persisting in 2025).

  • Malva verticillata L. (var. verticillata) (Chinese Mallow) General Very Rare A very rare casual. First mentioned locally in Thwaites list, c. 1840 (Riddelsdell, 1948 [as M. crispa]); Bath pre-1930s by ?. ST57 in 1980s by ? [BSBI records]; on a disused railway at Kenn, North Somerset in 1985 by J.H. Scott; and most recently at Warmley, east of Bristol in 2020s by ?.

1985 Colehouse Bridge Julian Scott

  • Malva setigera Schimp. & Spenn. (Althaea hirsuta L.) (Rough Marsh-mallow) General Very Rare A very rare casual. Only recently recorded from Hengrove Park, Bristol in 2010 by ? and in 2017 by R.J. Higgins. Formerly more widespread. First recorded in our region "Sparingly on Pur Down near Stapleton; W. E. Green. Mr. Green recorded his discovery in...1877...and described the plant as springing up around the stump of a beech tree that had been felled on the south side of the Down. A specimen in Mr. Edwin Wheeler's herbarium was gathered 'near Pur Down, about 1880-2'." (White, 1912).

  • Malva arborea (L.) Webb & Berthel. (Lavatera arborea L.) (Tree Mallow) / Coasts Locally frequent along the coast. Also sometimes grown and occasionally escapes.

  • Malva olbia x M. thuringiaca = M. x clementii (Cheek) Stace (Lavatera thuringiaca L.) (Garden Tree-mallow) /- General A rare garden escape. Was recorded recently near Goldenhill Allotments, Bristol in 2022 by D. Peters and along a lane behind Tesco Goldenhill, between the Crescent and Dyrham Close, Henleaze, Bristol in 2025 by D. Peters.

  • Malva subovata (DC.) Molero & J.M. Monts. ssp. subovata (Sea Mallow) General Extinct

[as Lavatera maritima - certainly a mistake for Malva arborea. It even says recorded as Tree Mallow.]

  • Malva punctata (All.) Alef. (Lavatera punctata All.) (Spotted-stalked Tree-mallow) 1922 General A native of the Mediterranean; recorded "Near the corn-mill by Portishead Dock, Aug. 1906" (White, 1912); at Bedminster in 1922 by C.I. Sandwith; and on waste ground at Cranbrook Road, Bristol (no date) by Alden (Sandwith, 1932).

  • Malva trimestris (L.) Salisb. (Royal Mallow) General Very Rare Widely grown and occasionally escapes.

[BSBI records]

MALOPE L.

  • Malope trifida Cav. (Mallow-wort) General Very Rare Recorded as a casual at Bath in 2022 by R.D. Randall.

[See BRLSI]

ALTHAEA L.

  • Althaea officinalis L. (Marsh-mallow) - Coasts Rare along the coast in upper saltmarshes. Also sometimes grown for intrigue and occasionally becomes escapes and becomes naturalised.

ALCEA L.

  • Alcea rosea L. (Hollyhock) / General Widely grown and frequently escapes onto pavements and derelict ground.

SIDALCEA A. Gray ex Benth.

  • Sidalcea oregana (Nutt.) A. Gray (which sspp.? - ssp. oregana?) (Oregon Checkerbloom - RHS, Oregon Checker-mallow - Wikipedia) 1979 General Recorded in 1979 according to the Flora of the Bristol Region (2000).

ABUTILON Mill.

  • Abutilon theophrasti Medik. (Velvetleaf) General Very Rare A very rare casual. "Over a dozen plants on Wapping Wharf, Bristol Harbour, 1911...F. Samson." (White, 1912 [as A. avicennae]). Also found at St Anne's, Bristol in 1919 by C.I. Sandwith; Avonmouth Docks in 1963 by N.Y. Sandwith; on Soyabean waste at Royal Portbury Dock in 1994 by R.J. Higgins; six non-flowering plants on silt, under Alders on the west bank of the River Avon near Saltford, North Somerset in 2013 by H.J. Crouch; and most recently at Chew Valley Lake in 2019 by C.V.L. Herons and R. Green [there's two records here on BSBI].

HIBISCUS L.

  • Hibiscus trionum L. (Bladder Ketmia) General Extinct A former grain alien. "I did not meet with it until October, 1906 - two fine plants in a cabbage garden at Portishead. Refuse-tip at St. Anne's, Brislington; one plant in 1907 and one in 1908. Wapping Wharf, Bristol Harbour, 1911." (White, 1912); Avonmouth Docks in 1932 by Mrs Jennings and I.W. Evans; on Soyabean waste at Royal Portbury Dock in 1994 by R.J. Higgins.

  • Hibiscus syriacus L. (Syrian Ketmia) General Very Rare Widely but infrequently grown in gardens. Found at the Royal Fort Gardens in 2019 by an iNaturalist recorder and at Henbry, Bristol in 2025 by an iNaturalist recorder.

[Probably move to could occur section]

  • Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum (Upland Cotton) A native of Central and North South America where it is much grown for fabrics; recorded at Avonmouth Docks in 1933 by C.I. Sandwith and H.J. Gibbons [B.E.C., 1933, p. 468 (as G. punctatum)] (Riddelsdell, 1948); and again in 1938 by ?.

  • Corchorus olitorius L. (Tossa Jute) General Extinct A native of the Tropics; recorded for the first and only time in the British Isles at Avonmouth Docks in 1932 by H.J. Gibbins. This is the plant that is most grown to produce jute fiber and has numerous names including: Jew's-mallow, Jute-mallow, False Jute, Wild Jute, Indian Jute, Nalita Jute, West African Sorrel, Egyptian Spinach, and Bush Okra.

TILIA L.

  • Tilia tomentosa Moench (Silver Lime) General Widely planted in parks and public green spaces; often as the cultivar 'Petiolaris' with longer petioles and more pendant branches (Stace, 2019).

[Combine records of 'Petiolaris'.]

  • Tilia platyphyllos Scop. ssp. cordifolia (Besser) C.K. Schneid. (Large-leaved Lime) / Woodland As a native scarce but commonly found planted in parks.

[One record of red-twigged cultivar 'Rubra'. Work out sspp.!]

  • Tilia platyphyllos x T. cordata = T. x europaea L. (Lime) / Woodland Probably the most frequently planted tree streets and parks.

  • Tilia cordata Mill. (Small-leaved Lime) / Woodland Scarce as a native in limestone woods but commonly planted in streets and parks.

  • Tilia cordata x T. dasystyla = T. x euchlora K. Koch (Caucasian Lime) General Widely planted in streets and car parks.

  • Tilia mongolica Maxim. (Mongolian Lime) General A single tree was found in a small park off Vintery Leys, Westbury-on-Trym in 2023 by D. Peters.

List:

  • Sida spinosa L. (Prickly Mallow) General
  • Anoda cristata (L.) Schltdl. (Spurred anoda NBN, Crested Anoda - Stace) General
  • Malva moschata L. (Musk-mallow) / Grassland
  • Malva alcea L. (ssp. alcea - Kew, GBIF) (Greater Musk-mallow) General
  • Malva sylvestris L. (Common Mallow) / - Malva ambigua Guss. in extinct list is a synonym for this (see below) General
  • Malva sylvestris L. (EDIT) var. sylvestris (Kew) Malva ambigua Guss. (Common Mallow - NBN) 1917 General
  • Malva nicaeensis All. (French Mallow) 1933 General
  • Malva parviflora L. (Least Mallow) / General
  • Malva pusilla Sm. (Small Mallow) 1897 General
  • Malva neglecta Wallr. (Dwarf Mallow) / General
  • Malva verticillata L. (var. verticillata - Kew, GBIF) (Chinese Mallow) General
  • Malva setigera Schimp. & Spenn. (Stace, NBN) Althaea hirsuta L. (Rough Marsh-mallow) General
  • Malva arborea (L.) Webb & Berthel. (Stace, NBN) Lavatera arborea L. (old name) (Tree Mallow) / Coasts
  • Malva olbia x M. thuringiaca = M. x clementii (Cheek) Stace (Stace) Lavatera thuringiaca L. (NBN) (Garden Tree-mallow) /- General
  • Malva subovata (DC.) Molero & J.M. Monts. ssp. subovata (Sea Mallow) - [as Lavatera maritima - certainly a mistake for Malva arborea. It even says recorded as Tree Mallow.]
  • Malva punctata (All.) Alef. (Kew, EDIT) Lavatera punctata All. (NBN) (Spotted-stalked Tree-mallow) 1922 General
  • Malva trimestris (L.) Salisb. (Royal Mallow) General
  • Malope trifida Cav. (Mallow-wort) General - BRLSI
  • Althaea officinalis L. (Marsh-mallow) - Coasts
  • Alcea rosea L. (Hollyhock) / General
  • Sidalcea oregana (Nutt.) A. Gray (which sspp.? - ssp. oregana?) (Oregon Checkerbloom - RHS, Oregon Checker-mallow - Wikipedia) 1979 General
  • Abutilon theophrasti Medik. (Velvetleaf) General
  • Hibiscus trionum L. (Bladder Ketmia) General
  • Hibiscus syriacus L. (Syrian Ketmia) General - 1 record [Probably move to could occur section]
  • Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum (Upland Cotton) - [Riddelsdell, 1948] /
  • Corchorus olitorius L. (Tossa Jute - NBN, Jew's-mallow - GBIF, False Jute - Sandwith (1932), Jute-mallow, Nalita Jute, West African Sorrel - Wikipedia) - [Sandwith, 1932] /
  • Tilia tomentosa Moench (Silver Lime) General - [most often as 'Petiolaris' with longer petioles and more pendant branches (Stace, 2019) - combine records]
  • Tilia platyphyllos Scop. (ssp. cordifolia (Besser) C.K. Schneid.) - Stace, NBN, Kew, GBIF) (Large-leaved Lime) / Woodland - [one record of red-twigged cultivar 'Rubra'. Work out sspp.!]
  • Tilia platyphyllos x T. cordata = T. x europaea L. (Lime) / Woodland
  • Tilia cordata Mill. (Small-leaved Lime) / Woodland
  • Tilia cordata x T. dasystyla = T. x euchlora K. Koch (Caucasian Lime) General
  • Tilia mongolica Maxim. (Mongolian Lime) General

Species to add:

  • Malope trifida Cav. (Mallow-wort) - BRLSI /
  • Malva alcea L. (ssp. alcea - Kew, GBIF) (Greater Musk-mallow) /
  • Malva subovata (DC.) Molero & J.M. Monts. ssp. subovata (Sea Mallow) - [as Lavatera maritima - certainly a mistake for Malva arborea. It even says recorded as Tree Mallow.] /
  • Malva trimestris (L.) Salisb. (Royal Mallow) /
  • Hibiscus syriacus L. (Syrian Ketmia) - 1 record [Probably move to could occur section] /
  • Tilia tomentosa Moench (Silver Lime) - [most often as 'Petiolaris' with longer petioles and more pendant branches (Stace, 2019) - combine records] /
  • Tilia cordata x T. dasystyla = T. x euchlora K. Koch (Caucasian Lime) /
  • Tilia mongolica Maxim. (Mongolian Lime) /
  • Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum (Upland Cotton) - [Riddelsdell, 1948] /
  • Corchorus olitorius L. (Tossa Jute - NBN, Jew's-mallow - GBIF, False Jute - Sandwith (1932), Jute-mallow, Nalita Jute, West African Sorrel - Wikipedia) - [Sandwith, 1932] /

Could occur:

  • Malva moschata x M. alcea (Musk-mallow x Greater Musk Mallow / Hybrid Musk-mallow)
  • Malva sylvestris x M. neglecta = M. x decipiens Chatenier ex Rouy (Common x Dwarf Mallow)
  • Tilia americana L. (American Lime)

Workings out:

Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 20: 47 (1916) (p. 47)

Anoda cristata var. typica

Hanc varietatum pro typo speciei habemus. Planta setosa, folia triangularia vel more or less hastata, margine paulum dentata. Flores longe pedunculati, maximi; pedunculi plerumque folia aequantes vel superantes. Calix florifer ca. 1,2 cm. longus, lobis more or less 8 mm. longis; calix fructifer ad 1,5 cm. et ultra longus, lobis apice involuto-acuminatis. Petala more or less 2,5 cm. longa, coerulea. Columna stam. ca. 5 mm. longa, pilosa. Fructus 12-20-capidatus, more or less 1,6 cm. in diam. latus; carpidiorum appendicula ad 5 mm. longa. Semina grisea, laevia.

[We have this variety as the type species. Plant setose, leaves triangular or more or less hastate, margin slightly dentate. Flowers long-pedunculate, largest; peduncles often equal or surpassing the leaves. Flowering calyx ca. 1.2 cm. long, lobes more or less 8 mm. long; fruiting calyx to 1.5 cm. and very long, lobes involute-acuminate at the apex. Petals more or less 2.5 cm. long, blue. Stamen column ca. 5 mm. long, hairy. Fruit 12-20-capidate, more or less 1.6 cm. in diam. side; carpidial appendages to 5 mm. long. Seeds grey, smooth.]

Anoda cristata var. brachyantha:

Planta setosa sed setae plerumque minus rigidae quam in var. typica. Folia triangularia vel paululum palmatilobatum, dentibus magnis irregularibus conspicue dentata, basi truncata vel vix cordata. Flores parvi, mediocrita pedunculati, pedunculis petiolos more or less aequantibus. Calix florifer 8-10mm. longus, lobis, 6-7mm. longis; fructifer valde accrescens, sepala ad 1, 7 et etiam 2 cm. longa, lobis 1-1,3 cm. longis. Petala 9-10 mm. longa, apice rotundata vel emarginata. Columna stam. 2-3 mm. longa, vix pilosa. Fructus 12-20-carpidiatus, maturus ad 2 cm. in diam. latus; carpidiorum appendicula 2-3 mm. longa.

[Plant setose but setae mostly less rigid than in var. typica. Leaves triangular or slightly palmatelobate, with large irregular teeth conspicuously dentate, base truncate or barely cordate. Flowers small, medium-sized pedunculate, peduncles more or less equal to petioles. Calyx floriferous 8-10mm. long, lobes 6-7mm. long; fruitiferous very accrescent, sepals 1.7 and even 2 cm. long, lobes 1-1.3 cm. long. Petals 9-10 mm. long, apex rounded or emarginate. Columna stamen. 2-3 mm. long, barely hairy. Fruit 12-20-carpidate, mature to 2 cm. in diam. wide; appendages of carpidia 2-3 mm. long.]

Differences:

[Stalked glands less rigid and weaker, leaves more broadly triangular or slightly palmate-lobate, with larger more conspicuous dentations, flowers smaller, peduncles more or less equaling petioles (not exceeding them). Calyx shorter (8-10 mm as oppose to 12 mm) with lobes 6-7 mm (rather than 8 mm); becoming expanded in fruit. Petals smaller (9-10 mm as oppose to 25 mm). Stamen shorter (2-3 mm as oppose to 5 mm) and less hairy. Fruit to 2 cm (not 1.6 cm) in diameter; carpel appendages 2-3 mm (rather than 5 mm).]

Summary:

[Stalked glands less rigid, leaves more broadly triangular to slightly palmate-lobate, with larger more conspicuous dentations, flower smaller in all its parts, peduncles more or less equaling petioles (not exceeding them) and stamens less hairy.]

Malva sylvestris conundrum

Varieties based on whether some portion of the plant is hairy or glabrous are far from satisfactory, but this is

more than a mere hairy-fruited form of M. silvestris, the leaf outline and habit differing widely from the type.

The description by Boissier in Flora Orient. i, p. 819, runs in part - 'var. y. - caule saepius hirsuto, carpellis plus minusve tomentosis [Stem often hairy, carpels more or less tomentose].' Gussone (Flora Sicula) mentions this variety in his index, as if it had been found in Sicily, but he was evidently unaquainted with it. Mr Druce tells me that it is not identical with the plant which he named lasiocarpa; Fl. Berks, p. 112.

M. ambigua original description:

M. glaberrima, caule adscendente, follis crenatis, inferioribus cordato-orbiculatis obsolete 5-7-lobatis, superioribus ovato-subrotundis acute 5-7-palmato lobatis, stipulis membranaceis, pedunculis 1-3 axillaribus erectis, calycis externi foliolis oblongis obtusis, petalis bilobis calyce 3-plo longioribus, capsulis hirsutis [M. glaberrima, stem ascending, leaves crenate, inferior cordate-orbicular obsolete 5-7-lobed, superior ovate-subrotund acute 5-7-palmate lobed, stipules membranous, peduncles 1-3 axillary erect, external calyx lobes oblong obtuse, petals bilobed, calyx 3-fold longer, capsule hairy]

M. silvestris original description from Linnaeus:

Caule erecto herbaceo, foliis lobatis obtusis, pedunculis petiolisque pilosis. [with an erect herbaceous stem, obtuse lobed leaves, and hairy peduncles and petioles.]

M. mauritiana original description from Linnaeus:

Caule erecto herbaceo, foliis lobatis obtusis, pedunculis petiolisque glabris. [with an erect herbaceous stem, obtuse lobed leaves, and glabrous peduncles and petioles.]

M. sylvestris var. mauritiana (L.) Boiss. original description:

Glabrescens, folia teneriora obtusius lobata, flores viridius purpurei minus profunde emarginati [Glabrous, with tenderer leaves, more obtusely lobed, flowers greenish purple, less deeply emarginate.]

Sell & Murrell (2018) consider 3 varieties:

  • var. sylvestris is either perennial or biennial and has erect stems and glabrous mericarps
  • var. socialis Griseb. is perennial and has spreading or prostrate stems, a densely hairy inflorescence and mericarps with simple eglandular hairs
  • var. incanescens Griseb. is an erect biennial with small leaves covered with stellate hairs beneath; it also has mericarps with simple eglandular hairs.