Lavatera cretica L.

 

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

 

Medit. Region

 

Tree Mallow  

 

Cretan Lavatera     

                                        March Photo

 

Plant Characteristics: Perennial, 1-3 m. tall sparsely pubescent; lower lvs. suborbicular, the upper shallowly and broadly 5-lobed, crenate, truncate to subcordate at base, 4-10 cm. wide, on longer petioles; involucel shorter than calyx, with broad rounded lobes; calyx ca. 4 mm. long at anthesis, later much enlarged and surrounding the fr.; petals pinkish to lilac, 10-16 mm. long; fr. depressed, of 7-10 glabrous or puberulent relatively smooth carpels.

 

Habitat:  Occasionally natur. about Santa Barbara and in Ventura Co.; no. along the coast;  May-July.

 

Name: Lavater, two Swiss brothers, of the time of Tournefort.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 564).  Latin, creticus, of the island of Crete.  (Jaeger 70).

 

General:  Occasional in the study area.  Munz calls this plant a winter annual, however, I have found several specimens at the foot of Mariners Dr. which have thick woody stems 2-3 cm. thick.  The new annual growth comes from these stems.  The photographed specimen was on the North Star Flats. (my comments).      As new species were introduced, the Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara area adopted them to fill the same functions as the native plants to which they were most similar.  Mallow was found to be suitable for string making, although it was considered inferior to Indian hemp, milkweed and nettle.  (Timbrook, J. "Chumash Ethnobotany: A Preliminary Report".  Journal of Ethnobiology Dec. 84, 141-169).      About 25 species of Mediterranean region to Asia, Australia, Canary Islands, islands off California and Lower California.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 564).

 

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. III 109; Hickman, Ed. 751; Munz, Calif. Flora 128; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 564; Roberts 28.

Photo Ref:  Feb 2 83 # 2,3.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

 

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 111.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 2/21/03.

 

                                              March Photo