Malva multiflora

Malva multiflora (previously known as Lavatera cretica) is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common names Cornish mallow and Cretan hollyhock. It is native to western Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Basin, and it is naturalized in areas with a Mediterranean climate, such as parts of Australia, South Africa, and California. This is an annual or biennial herb growing a tough, somewhat hairy stem to a maximum height between 1 and 3 meters. The leaves are multilobed with flat or wavy edges, slightly hairy, and up to 10 centimeters long. The plant bears small pink or light purple flowers with petals just over a centimeter long. The fruit is disc-shaped with 7 to 10 segments.

Malva multiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Malva
Species:
M. multiflora
Binomial name
Malva multiflora
(Cav.) Soldano, Banfi & Galasso
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Althaea cretica (L.) Kuntze
    • Althaea sylvestris (Brot.) Borbás
    • Anthema cretica (L.) Medik.
    • Anthema scabra Moench
    • Anthema tenoreana C.Presl
    • Lavatera cavanillesii Caball.
    • Lavatera cretica L.
    • Lavatera empedoclis Ucria
    • Lavatera hederifolia (Vis.) Schloss. & Vuk.
    • Lavatera mollis Ehrenb. ex Sweet
    • Lavatera neapolitana Ten.
    • Lavatera sicula Tineo
    • Lavatera stenophylla (Willk.) Rouy
    • Lavatera sylvestris Brot.
    • Lavatera triloba Sebast. & Mauri
    • Lavatera weinmanniana Trevir. ex DC.
    • Malope multiflora Cav.
    • Malva cretica (L.) Pau
    • Malva hederifolia Vis.
    • Malva linnaei M.F.Ray
    • Malva liocarpa Phil.
    • Malva mamillosa J.Lloyd ex Nyman
    • Malva mauritiana Willk.
    • Malva pseudolavatera Webb & Berthel.
    • Malva willkommiana Scheele

Leaf laminas of Malva multiflora can track solar position throughout the day and turn to face the sunrise, behavior that anticipates the future, despite lacking a central nervous system.[2][3]

References
  1. "Malva multiflora (Cav.) Soldano, Banfi & Galasso". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. Schwartz, A; Koller, D (1986). "Diurnal Phototropism in Solar Tracking Leaves of Lavatera cretica". Plant Physiology. 80 (3): 778–781. doi:10.1104/pp.80.3.778. PMC 1075199. PMID 16664701.
  3. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/life-without-brains-smart-slime-molds-plants-jellyfish-osr-science


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