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38. Malvella Jaubert & Spach, Ill. Pl. Orient. 5: 47, plate 444. 1855.
Alkali mallow [generic name Malva and Latin -ella, diminutive] Alkali mallow [generic name Malva and Latin -ella, diminutive]
Paul A. Fryxell Steven R. Hill
Disella Greene
Herbs, perennial. Stems prostrate, with stellate and lepidote pubescence, not viscid. Leaves alternate and distichous; stipules persistent, subulate, 3–5 mm; blade asymmetric basally, [± flabellate], reniform, or ovate to triangular, not dissected or parted, base asymmetric, margins dentate, serrate, or entire, surfaces stellate or lepidote. Inflorescences axillary solitary flowers; involucel present or absent, bractlets 0–3, persistent or caducous, distinct. Flowers: calyx not accrescent, not inflated, lobes unribbed, ovate or cordate, stellate or lepidote; corolla whitish or pale yellow, sometimes with pink flush or fading pale rose; staminal column included; style 7–10-branched; stigmas capitate. Fruits schizocarps, erect, not inflated, oblate, not indurate, minutely hairy; mericarps 7–10, 1-celled, dorsally rounded, essentially unornamented, lateral walls persistent, essentially indehiscent. Seeds 1 per mericarp, glabrous. x = probably 16.
Species 4 (3 in the flora): United States, Mexico, South America (Peru to Uruguay), Europe, Asia (Asia Minor).
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| 1 |
Leaf blades wider than long, ± reniform, apex obtuse or subacute, indument predominantly stellate; involucellar bractlets usually 3, sometimes 0; calyx lobes ovate, bases not overlapping. |
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2 Malvella leprosa |
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Leaf blades longer than wide, ovate to triangular, apex acute, indument ± silvery-lepidote; involucellar bractlets usually 0, rarely present; calyx lobes ± cordate, bases plicate-overlapping |
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(2) |
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| 2 (1) |
Leaf blades ± triangular, length 1–2(–3) times width, margins irregularly dentate, surfaces often with at least some stellate hairs mixed with silvery scales. |
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1 Malvella lepidota |
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Leaf blades narrowly triangular, length 3–5(–6) times width, margins hastate-toothed at base, surfaces silvery-lepidote. |
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3 Malvella sagittifolia |
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Lower Taxa
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