Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke

Malvastrum species are herbs or undershrubs.

Herb/ Undershrub

Malvastrum species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: Almost throughout the year.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual herbs or undershrubs, erect or decumbent, about 0.3-1 m tall. Stem, branches, petioles and pedicels, pubescent with 4 armed appressed stellate hairs, where 2 arms are pointing downwards and other two are pointed upwards, about 1-3 mm long. Leaves alternate, often unlobed, rarely trilobed, lanceolate-ovate to oblong, about 1.5-7 x 0.5-3.8 cm across, base obtuse to acute, margins coarsely crenate-serrate, apex acute, pubescent with simple appressed hairs above and appressed hairy beneath except on the veins beneath where they are 4 armed stellate hairs, petiole pubescent with 4 armed stellate hairs, about 0.5-4 cm long, stipules linear lanceolate-subfalcate, filiform, margins entire or faintly serrate, apex acuminate, persistent, about 3-6 x 0.5-1 mm across. Inflorescence axillary, solitary or terminal 2-4 flowered clusters. Flowers bisexual, pedicel pubescent with 4 armed hairs, about 2-6 mm long, accrescent up to 10 mm long, bracts absent, epicalyx segments linear lanceolate, glabrous inside, and sparse 4 armed stellate hairs outside, about 4-7 x 0.7-1 mm across, calyx 5 lobed, campanulate, slightly accrescent, lobes deltoid-ovate, apex acuminate, pubescent with 4 armed stellate hairs along margins inside and outside, persistent, about 5-10 x 3-5 mm across, corolla yellow, about 1-1.5 cm across, petals obliquely obovate, base ciliate, apex shallow emarginated. Staminal column, base conical, apex tubular, glabrous, about 2.5 mm long, anthers basifixed, in the upper half. Ovary 10-14 carpellate. Fruit indehiscent, schizocarp in persistent calyx, about 5-8 mm across, mericarps 10-14, reniform, curved strongly, apex obtuse, with sharp edges and covered with erect patent simple hairs and minute stellate hairs, Seed reniform, about 1-1.5 mm across, glabrous, brownish black.

Malvastrum species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Tropical and subtropical places, near cultivated fields and roadsides.

Cultivated

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.