Malva hispanica
StarMalva hispanica
Synonyms: Malva cuneifolia, Malva hispanica var. spithamea, Malva spithamea
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Iberian and Mediterranean folk medicine the leaves and flowers of Malva hispanica are used, like those of other mallows, for their soothing, mucilage-rich demulcent and emollient properties: taken internally as an infusion to ease coughs, sore throat and irritation of the digestive tract, and applied externally as a poultice or wash for inflamed skin, bruises and insect bites (mallow herbal monographs; PFAF for the Malva group).
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Botanical Description
Malva hispanica, the Spanish mallow, is an annual or short-lived herb in the family Malvaceae, native to the Iberian Peninsula and the western Mediterranean, where it grows in fields, roadsides, dry grassland and disturbed open ground. It produces erect to ascending, branching stems clothed in soft hairs and bearing alternate, long-stalked leaves that are rounded to kidney-shaped with shallow, toothed lobes, typical of the mallows. The flowers are borne singly or in small clusters in the leaf axils and have five notched petals, usually pink to pale rose with darker veining, surrounding the column of fused stamens characteristic of the family. The fruit is a flattened, disc-shaped schizocarp that breaks apart into numerous one-seeded segments, the so-called cheeses of the mallows. Like its relatives it has mucilage-rich leaves and flowers and is a familiar weedy plant of Mediterranean agricultural and waste ground.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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