Marsh Mallow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Marsh Mallow
• Mash Mellow
• buff-coat
• leather-coat
• sleepy-morning
• Sleepy Morning

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Waltheria makinoi
• Waltheria martii
• Waltheria guineensis
• Waltheria laxa
• Waltheria americana
• Waltheria angustifolia
• Waltheria arborescens
• Waltheria africana
• Waltheria elliptica
• Waltheria erioclada
• Waltheria corchorifolia
• Waltheria wildii
• Waltheria prostrata
• Waltheria paniculata
• Waltheria americana var. elliptica
• Waltheria americana var. glandulosa
• Waltheria americana var. densiflora
• Waltheria americana var. subspicata
• Waltheria indica var. americana
• Waltheria indica var. prostrata
• Waltheria americana var. indica
• Waltheria americana var. sahelica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales. Finally, it is a member of the family Malvaceae and is placed within the genus Waltheria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning both the Macaronesian islands and parts of West Tropical Africa. Within the Macaronesian region, it can be found growing in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Its range extends further into West Tropical Africa, where it is present in Benin. Additionally, the species is documented in the landlocked nation of Burkina. Finally, its distribution reaches the coastal area of Gambia, completing its spread across these distinct territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Waltheria indica is characterized by its ability to inhabit a diverse altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1585 m AMSL. While specific primary habitat classifications are often noted with ambiguity, the species typically thrives in disturbed or open environments where it can adapt to varying topographical conditions across its expansive elevational range.

Elevational range max:

1585 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Genetics

The genetics of Waltheria indica are characterized by a variable chromosomal landscape, with recorded chromosome numbers of 14, 26, and 40, indicating significant cytogenetic diversity within the species. Despite this numerical variation across different populations or accessions, the plant is identified as having a diploid ploidy level of 2.

Chromosome number :

14, 26, 40

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Waltheria indica is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and architectural structure, it exhibits a complex life form classification, manifesting as a phanerophyte due to its woody stem development, while also displaying characteristics consistent with a nanophanerophyte depending on its specific environmental adaptations and stature.

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Waltheria indica is characterized by its growth form as a woody subshrub or herb, functioning as an independent plant rather than a parasite or epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial lifestyle. The plant exhibits a woody structure with an ascending shoot orientation, allowing it to grow in a self-supporting manner without the need for climbing mechanisms like lianas or vines. In terms of stature, the plant height is variable, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of approximately 2.13 m, with an average height of approximately 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.133625945 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Waltheria indica is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes. The plant's vegetative morphology includes leaves that exhibit significant variation in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 15.5 cm, and widths spanning from 1 cm to 6 cm. Unlike many desert-adapted species, this plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining a non-succulent leaf structure. Furthermore, it does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the available nitrogen within its immediate soil environment for its metabolic requirements.

Leaf length max:

15.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Waltheria indica begins with the production of distinctive yellow flowers. Following pollination, the plant develops small fruits classified as a capsule, with fruit lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.25 cm to a maximum of 0.3 cm. These capsules are dehiscent, meaning they split open at maturity to release the seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small and vary in size, with a minimum length of 1.6 mm and a maximum length of 2.5 mm, and a width ranging from 1.2 mm to 1.6 mm. In terms of mass, the seeds are lightweight, with a minimum weight of 0.00103 g, a maximum of 0.00222 g, and an average mass of approximately 0.001692 g. The dispersal syndrome associated with this species is anthropochorous, indicating that its seeds are spread via human activity.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Fruit length max:

0.3 cm

Fruit length min:

0.25 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed length max:

2.5 mm

Seed length min:

1.6 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00222 g

Seed mass mean:

0.001692 g

Seed mass min:

0.00103 g

Seed width max:

1.6 mm

Seed width min:

1.2 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Waltheria indica has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, leaf, stem.

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
3. Journal of natural products

Leaf

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Inflammopharmacology

Chemicals

Waltheria indica has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Chrysosplenol E, 5-Hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone, Adouetine X, Adouetine Y, Adouetine Z.

Chrysosplenol E

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of natural products

5-Hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone

1. Journal of natural products

Adouetine X

1. Dr. Duke

Adouetine Y

1. Dr. Duke

Adouetine Z

1. Dr. Duke

Flindulatin

1. Journal of natural products

Melovinone

1. Journal of natural products

Oxyanin A

1. Journal of natural products

Vitexicarpin

1. Journal of natural products

Waltherione A

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Waltheria indica has 1 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal.

Antifungal

1. Journal of natural products

Conditions

Waltheria indica has 10 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida albicans, Chagas disease, Pneumococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, cancer.

Candida albicans

1. Journal of natural products

Chagas disease

1. Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)

Pneumococcus

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Streptococcus pneumoniae

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammatory bowel diseases

1. Inflammopharmacology

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pneumococcal infections

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Ulcerative colitis

1. Inflammopharmacology

Preparations

Waltheria indica has 17 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, crude plant extracts, extract, CH2Cl2 extract, chloroform extract.

Aqueous extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Inflammopharmacology

Crude plant extracts

1. Inflammopharmacology
2. Planta medica

Extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of cosmetic dermatology

Ch2cl2 extract

1. Journal of natural products

Chloroform extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Decoction of the aerial parts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts

1. Journal of natural products

Extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hexane extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology