What does malva mean?
Malva is the name of a large botanical genus in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It includes familiar plants such as common mallow, hollyhock mallow, tree mallow, and creeping mallow, most of which bear five-petalled flowers in shades of pink, mauve, red, or white. The name is principally taxonomic: garden labels, botanical studies, and plant catalogues use it to identify members of the genus or refer to related species. In ordinary conversation, however, people are more likely to say mallow. Malva is also useful as a reminder of the close relationship between a scientific genus name and the common name attached to one of its members. The genus contains annuals, biennials, and perennials, with a particular concentration in Mediterranean and Eurasian habitats. As with other genus names, Malva is conventionally capitalized and italicized in formal botanical contexts.
nounAny plant belonging to the botanical genus Malva, a group of herbs and shrubs that includes common and hollyhock mallows. The name is chiefly used in botanical, horticultural, and taxonomic contexts.
- A plant belonging to the botanical genus Malva.
"The garden's Malva species flowered profusely throughout the summer."
"Botanists identified the specimen as a Malva native to the Mediterranean region."
"A cultivar of Malva was planted along the sunny edge of the garden."
Used when referring to multiple individual plants belonging to the genus, although botanical contexts generally prefer naming particular species.
"Several malvas grew along the garden's southern border."
The delicate pink blooms of Malva sylvestris gave the plant its common name, tree mallow, even though it is generally herbaceous rather than a true tree.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does malva come from?
Malva is a New Latin scientific genus name derived from Latin malva, the classical Latin word for mallow. The Latin word passed into English as mallow, while the botanical form was adopted during the development of modern scientific nomenclature. Malva also gave its name to the family Malvaceae and to the taxonomic adjective malvaceous.
How malva is actually used
In formal botanical writing, the genus name is capitalized and italicized. English prose generally uses the more familiar term mallow when no taxonomic precision is required.
Easily confused with malva
Malva is the scientific name of a botanical genus, whereas mallow is the common English name used for plants in the genus and, more broadly, for related members of the mallow family.