Malvaceae FAMILY

Malva parviflora

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although we have seen no reports of toxicity for this species, when grown on nitrogen rich soils (and particularly when these are cultivated inorganically), the leaves of some species tend to concentrate high levels of nitrates in their leaves[ 76 Title Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. Publication Author Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Publisher HMSO Year 1984 ISBN 0112425291 Description Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock. ]. The leaves are perfectly wholesome at all other times.

Botanical Description

Malva parviflora is an erect, annual plant producing one (occasionally several), usually unbranched stems from a long, thin taproot; it can gro 5 - 80cm tall[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. Malva parviflora has been commonly introduced in many parts of the world, both temperate and tropical. It has become naturalized in some parts of N. America and is especially common as a weed from California to Texas[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeMediterranean areas of Europe, Africa and western Asia, extending east to the Caucasus, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, also south to Arabia.

HabitatFields and waste land[ 50 Title Flora Europaea Publication Author ? Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1964 ISBN - Description An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader. ]. Grasslands, at forest edges, in woodland, on heavily grazed grassland, sometimes on stony hills, at edges of ponds and lakes and easily becoming a weed in cultivation, at elevations up to 1,500 metres[ 398 Title Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania Publication Author Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B. Publisher Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi. Year 2002 ISBN 9966-896-60-0 Description A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants. ].