Malvella

Malvella
Malvella leprosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Malvella Jaub. & Spach
Species
4

Malvella is a small genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. There are four species, one native to the Mediterranean, and three native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. The plants were formerly classified in genus Sida.^[1]

Description

These are generally perennial herbs, sometimes annual, growing in a prostrate or decumbent form. They are coated with star-shaped or scaly hairs. The silvery-haired leaves have asymmetrical blades. Flowers grow singly in the leaf axils. They are whitish or yellow, fading pink. The fruit is a capsule with 7 to 10 segments that do not break apart.^[2]

Species

Species include:^[3][4]

• Malvella lepidota – scurfy mallow
• Malvella leprosa – alkali mallow
• Malvella sagittifolia – arrowleaf mallow
• Malvella sherardiana

References

1. Hinsley, S. R. The Malvella page. Malvaceae.info.
2. Malvella. The Jepson eFlora 2013.
3. Malvella. The Plant List.
4. Malvella. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).