Malva parviflora L.

Spice Flower - fruit detail In the field

Family: MALVACEAE

Genus: Malva

Catalan common name: Malva. Malva de fulla petita. Vauma.

Spanish common name: Malva de flor chica. Malva de flor menuda. Malva de flor pequeña.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: The very name of this species indicates its most representative characteristic, since it has very small flowers compared with the other Malvaceae. The petals, whitish, only just reach the sepals' height (up to 5 mm long). The flowers can be hidden in the axils of the leaves, which are rather larger in comparison to the flowers: they have a round, lobulate margin like other Malvaceae. Due to the flower size it could be mistaken for Malva nicaeensis, but the petals of the latter clearly exceed the sepals. Due to the size of the plant and the shape of the leaves it can be mistaken for Lavatera cretica or Malva sylvestris, but if we have a look at the flowers we will set our minds at rest. It lives along path-sides.