Malva sylvestris L.
Family: Malvaceae
Synonyms: Althaea godronii Alef., Althaea mauritiana Alef., Malva ambigua Guss., Malva erecta C.Presl, Malva grossheimii Iljin, Malva mauritanica Spreng. , Malva mauritiana L., Malva sylvestris var. mauritiana (L.) Boiss., Malva sylvestris subsp. mauritiana (L.) Boiss., Malva sylvestris var. sylvestris, Malva sylvestris subsp. sylvestris
- English: Blue Mallow, common mallow, High Cheeseweed, high mallow, Marsh Mallow, Zebrina Mallow
- Arabic: خبازى (خُبازى)، خبيزه (خُبيزه), رقمه (رَقْمه)، رقميه (رَقميه)
- Dutch: Groot kaasjeskruid
- Finnish: kiiltomalva, metsaemalva, Metsämalva
- French: Grande mauve, Mauve sauvage, Mauve sylvestre, Grande mauve
- German: Wilde Malve
- Hindi: Gurchanti, Socholi
- Italian: Malva, Malva selvatica, Japanese: zeni-aoi
- Kannada: Sanna Bindige Gida, Seeme Bende
- Marathi: Kubaajee
- Russian: mal'va lesnaja, prosvirnik lesnoj, Мальва лесная, мальва лесная, просвирник лесной
- Sanskrit: Suvarchalaa
- Swedish: rödmalva
- Urdu: Gul-e-khubazi, Khubbazi, Tukhm-e-khubbazi, गुले ख़ैर Gul-e-khair
Description: Usually biennial, up to 1.25 m tall, pubescent to glabrescent herbs. Leaves 2-4 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, 3-lobed, truncate to broadly cordate at; stipule lanceolate, scarious, c. 5 mm long, 1.5 mm broad; petiole 2-6 cm ,pilose. Flowers axillary (1-) 2-4 in fascicles; pedicel c. 2 cm long. Epicalyx segments ovate, 2-3 mm long, 1.5 mm broad. Calyx free to the middle, 3-6 mm long, glabrescent; lobes broadly triangular, 2-3 mm broad. Petals pink-purple cm long, c.1 cm broad, obovate, emarginate, claw ciliate. Staminal c. 3 mm long, stellate pubescent. Fruit glabrous, 5-6 mm across, mericarps 10-12, reticulate. Seeds brown, c. 2.5 mm long and broad.
All parts of the plant have medicinal uses. Common Mallow is considered to have diuretic, laxative, emollient, demulcent, spasmolytic, lenitive, choleretic, bronchodilatory, expectorant, antitussive, antidiarrhoeal and anti-infl ammatory properties Roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds are applied in infusions, decoctions, poultices, liniments, lotions, salves, tisane baths and gargles. Traditionally, mallow has been employed to treat specified disorders of several systems of the body, such as the digestive, the respiratory, the genitourinary, the muscular, the skeletal systems, and renal lithiasis, as well as skin disorders and injuries. It is also highly recommended for acne and skin care and as antiseptic, emollient and demulcent. The plant is an excellent laxative for young children. Roots are used for toothache, genital tract infections and dermatitis. Shoots are employed to treat toothache, genital tract infections, haemorrhoids and constipation. Leafy flowered stems are employed for cold, cough, throat pain, tonsils and bladder problems. Seeds/mericarps are used to treat inflamed or injured skin and as a demulcent, emollient and diuretic. Young leaves are use for burns, skin injuries, diarrhoea, pectoral and rheumatism. The demulcent properties of leaves and flowers make them valuable as a poultice for bruise, inflammations, insect bites, etc., or they can be taken internally in the treatment of respiratory system diseases and problems with the digestive tract. Flowers are used for acne, skin problems, eyes, throat pain and cough. In tisanes, the flowers and leaves are used to help heal internal wounds, lesions of the mucous membranes and stomach ulcers. The flowers and immature fruits are efficacious to cure whooping cough and are official in French and Swiss pharmacopoeias (CSIR 1962 ). The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approved Malva sylvestris for cough, bronchitis and inflammation of the mouth and pharynx . The edible Malva sylvestris is used as folkloric medicine for cough and bladder ulcer in Samahni Valley (Azad Kashmir), Pakistan [Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants Vol-8]
Effects and reported uses: The entire plant, including the flowers, has beneficial value. The dried plant is allowed to dry and then ground into powder form. If desired, the whole dried plant may be crumpled and placed into a container instead of the powder, but when this is done it is more diflBcult to measure the correct amount of herb in relation to the water. This herb has both internal and external uses reported. A pint of boiling water is poured over about onehalf ounce of the herb and then allowed to stand for a few minutes until the water has cooled to drinking temperature. Drinking this infusion has been found to be a popular cure for coughs, colds and similar ailments. A teaspoonful of the powder may be taken as a dose two or three times a day in lieu of preparation of the drink, or the powder may be obtained in tablet form or placed into gelatin capsules and the capsule then dissolves in the stomach. The herb itself, preferably in powder form, may be applied directly to various body parts and the effect is to soothe the part or soften the skin to which the herb is applied. It is a sticky or mucilaginous substance, and it has no odor. [Encyclopedia of medicinal herbs, with the herb-o-matic locator index]
Renal lithiasis, insect bites, digestive disorders, mouth pain. [Ethnomedicinal Plants Revitalization of Traditional Knowledge of Herbs]
Used in Cough, bladder ulcer [Greco-Arab and Islamic Herbal Medicine Traditional System, Ethics, Safety, Efficacy, and Regulatory Issues]
Mucilaginous, emollient, laxative, antitussive, pectoral, antibacterial. Infusion is used for coughs and colds, irritation of the bronchi. Phagocyte stimulant. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
Revitalizes kidney. Diuretic, anti-diarrhoeal and heals wounds.[Medicinal Plants of Bhutan]
119 Published articles of Malva sylvestris L.
Ceiba insignis (Kunth) P.E.Gibbs & Semir
Common name: White floss silk tree, White Kapok
