Malva sylvestris is a species of the mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae and is considered to be the type species for the genus. Known as common mallow to English-speaking Europeans,it acquired the common names of cheeses, high mallow and tall mallow.
Malva sylvestris is a spreading herb, which is an annual in North Africa, biennial in the Mediterraneanand a perennial elsewhere. It can be straight or decumbent, branched, and covered with fine soft hairs or none at all.
Flowers are described as reddish-purple, bright pinkish-purple with dark stripes[m and bright mauve-purple, the flowers of Malva sylvestris appear in axillary clusters of 2 to 4 and form irregularly and elongated along the main stem with the flowers at the base opening first.
Malva sylvestris spreads itself on waste and rough ground, by roads and railways.
M. sylvestris contains malvin and malonylmalvin.It also contains the naphthoquinone malvone A, which is also a phytoalaxin.
|
