Revision of Malva nicaeensis from Thu, 2015-07-02 13:23

Malva nicaeensis All. (Medit., Macaronesia) – A very rare and usually ephemeral alien. Formerly recorded once as a wool alien in the Vesdre valley (1892) and also seen in Kain without obvious vector of introduction in 1939. More recently recorded on a demolition site in Gent in 2001, possibly as a wool- or grain alien. Discovered in relative abundance in 2007 (but apparently overlooked before) by a small canal (Achtervisserij) in the city of Gent (Verloove 2008); here more or less established. Finally, also recorded on a demolition site (2008) and on an unloading quay for cereals (2014) in Antwerpen.

Malva nicaeensis somehow resembles M. sylvestris and might pass unrecorded. It is usually annual and has smaller, pale lilac petals without darker veins.

Malva nicaeensis, Antwerpen, demolition site, October 2008, E. Molenaar

Malva_nicaeensis

Herbarium Specimen

 


Selected literature:

Verloove F. (2008) Enkele nieuwe neofyten in België en Noordwest-Frankrijk. Dumortiera 94: 1-8.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith