Malvastrum corchorifolium

(Desrousseaux) Britton ex Small

Fl. Miami, 200. 1913.

Common names: Caribbean false mallow
Basionym: Malva corchorifolia Desrousseaux in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 3: 755 [as 743]. 1792,
Synonyms: Malvastrum rugelii S. Watson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 296. Mentioned on page 294, 297.
Revision as of 20:16, 24 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Herbs, annual or perennial, suffruticose in age, 0.6–1.5 m, sparsely branched in proximal 1/2, usually with 1 main stem. Stems erect, hairs scattered, appressed, distinctly bilateral, 4-rayed, not sublepidote, swollen-based, or few, minute, marginal, simple hairs. Inflorescences axillary, solitary flowers at first, later congested or loose terminal spikes 1–2 cm, these in distal leaf axils or terminating each branch; floral bracts usually 2-fid, 3–6 × 1 mm, or flowers subtended by leaf and stipules. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm; involucellar bractlets basally adnate to calyx for 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate, subfalcate, 4–6 × 0.8–1 mm, ± equaling calyx lobes, apex acuminate. Flowers: calyx connate for 1/4–1/3 its length, broadly campanulate, 5–6 mm, to 7–11 mm in fruit, surface moderately hairy, hairs simple, 2–4-rayed, mixed with scattered, 4–6-rayed, stellate, minute hairs; corolla campanulate to wide-spreading, yellow to pale yellow-orange, 12–17 mm diam., petals obovate, asymmetrically lobed, 6–7 × 3–4 mm, exceeding calyx by 2 mm; staminal column 2–2.5 mm, sparsely stellate-puberulent; style (9–)11–13(–16)-branched. Schizocarps 4–7 mm diam.; mericarps tardily shed from calyx, (9–)11–13(–16), 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 × 1.1 mm, margins angled, sides radially ribbed, narrowly-notched, with 3 minute, apical cusps 0.1–0.4 mm, 1 at proximal-apical surface, 2 at distal-apical surface, moderately hairy on dorsal 1/3, hairs erect, minute, simple or 2–rayed, and erect, simple, rigid hairs 0.5–1 mm, minutely hirsute with ascending, simple hairs 0.1–0.5 mm mixed with minute, simple or 2- or 3-rayed, stellate hairs. Seeds 1.5–1.7 mm. 2n = 48.


Phenology: Flowering nearly year-round when sufficiently wet and warm.
Habitat: Open, usually coastal, calcareous soil
Elevation: 0–20 m

Distribution

V6 538-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, introduced in Africa (Ghana).

Discussion

Malvastrum corchorifolium is most likely a stabilized allopolyploid hybrid between M. americanum and M. coromandelianum, and it appears to have originated and stabilized at least twice, in eastern Central America (Honduras or Nicaragua) and somewhere in the West Indies (the two groups are morphologically distinguishable). Plants in the flora area have typical West Indian morphology, as do those from Ghana, the latter possibly introduced during the time of the slave trade. The Alabama record was historic only; the specimen was collected on ship ballast brought in from Jamaica.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Malvastrum corchorifolium"
Steven R. Hill +
(Desrousseaux) Britton ex Small +
Malva corchorifolia +
Caribbean false mallow +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and introduced in Africa (Ghana). +
0–20 m +
Open, usually coastal, calcareous soil +
Flowering nearly year-round when sufficiently wet and warm. +
Malvastrum rugelii +
Malvastrum corchorifolium +
Malvastrum +
species +