The Lavatera Pages :
Californian Lavateras

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Lavatera assurgentiflora Kellogg
Lavatera venosa S. Watson
Lavatera 'Purisima'
Lavatera 'Black Heart'
Lavatera occidentalis S. Watson
Lavatera insularis S. Watson
Lavatera lindsayi Moran

The Californian Lavateras from a closely related group of 4 or 5 species, found wild on various offshore islands of Alta and Baja California, and on the mainland of Baja California (map). The best known of these species, L. assurgentiflora, is also naturalised on the mainland of California, and in South America.

Lavatera assurgentiflora Kellogg
English (America) Mission Mallow, Island Mallow, Royal Mallow
Spanish Malva Rosa

Lavatera assurgentiflora originates from the Channel Islands of Alta California. Subspecies assurgentiflora comes from the northern Channel Islands (Anacapa and San Miguel being particularly mentioned), and subspecies glabra from San Clemente and Santa Catalina. There is some doubt as to the natural ranges of the subspecies of Lavatera assurgentiflora; they have been obscured by cultivation and naturalisation.

Lavatera assurgentiflora is naturalised at various locations on the coast of California between the Tijuana estuary and the Santa Monica mountains (see map), including the Buena Vista and San Elijo Lagoons in San Diego county (also near Escondido). It is also recorded from the Vizcaino area of Baja California. It is also naturalised in montane Peru, Equador, mediterranean Chile (including Coquimbo province and Isla San Félix). It is present in New Zealand and Australia, but its status in these localities is not clear to me.

Lavatera assurgentiflora ssp assurgentiflora is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree, with twisted grey stems, growing to 12 ft. The flowers are deep-cerise, with darker veins and sometimes with a paler eye. They are borne singly, in pairs, or in larger clusters, in the leaf axils, and are often obscured by the foliage. They are 2-3 in across. The petiole is long and recurved-assurgent, i.e. are initially bent downwards, and terminally turned upwards. The calyx is elongated (tubular-campanulate) compared to other mallows The petals may be somewhat reflexed, especially as the flowers fade. The leaves are 5-7 palmate (reminiscent of a Norway maple, Acer platanoides, in shape), mid-green in colour, and with white hairs beneath. They are 2-6 in long and wide. Lavatera assurgentiflora grows in sandy flats and rocky places. It is wind and salt tolerant, but not particularly hardy.

Subspecies glabra has a more shrubby and less arborescent habit. It has larger, glossier, lighter green, glabrous (smooth) foliage, and larger, paler flowers with unreflexed petals.

Synonyms for Lavatera assurgentiflora Kellogg include Malva assurgentiflora (Kellogg) M. F. Ray, Althaea assurgentifolia (Kellogg) Kuntze, Saviniona assurgentiflora (Kellogg) E. Greene, Saviniona dendroidea (Kellogg) E. Greene, and Saviniona suspensa (Kellogg) E. Greene. Synonyms for Lavatera assurgentiflora ssp glabra Philbrick include Saviniona clementina E. Greene and Saviniona reticulata E. Greene.

Photographs

photograph of Lavatera assurgentiflora at California Lutheran University
photograph of Lavatera assurgentiflora at California Lutheran University
photographs of Lavatera assurgentiflora at CalPhotos
photographs of Lavatera assurgentiflora at California Academy of Sciences
photograph of Lavatera assurgentiflora at National Park Service
photograph of Lavatera assurgentiflora at Catalina Conservancy

Lavatera venosa S. Watson

Lavatera venosa S. Watson is found on the San Benito islands (which lie to the west of Cedros island). It is also found in the Vizcaino area of the mainland of Baja California, though it is not clear to me whether it is native or introduced to that locality.

Lavatera venosa differs from Lavatera assurgentiflora in being generally smaller, in higher purple flowers (again with darker veins), and in a number of details of the foliage and fruit.

Synonyms for Lavatera venosa S. Watson include Malva pacifica M. F. Ray, Althaea venosa (S. Watson) Kuntze and Saviniona venosa (S. Watson) E. Greene.

Hybrids

Lavatera 'Purisima' is a hybrid between Lavatera venosa and Lavatera assurgentiflora. It is a sprawling evergreen plant with large green leaves and 3 in maroon flowers. Lavatera 'Black Heart' is another hybrid between Lavatera venosa and Lavatera assurgentiflora. It has medium green glabrous leaves and dark purple flowers. Other hybrids between Lavatera venosa and Lavatera assurgentiflora are 'Devil's Delight' and 'Magenta Target''.

Lavatera occidentalis S. Watson
Lavatera insularis S. Watson
Lavatera lindsayi Moran

Lavatera occidentalis S. Watson is native to the islands of Isla Guadalupe and Islas los Coronados, lying to the west of Baja California. It is a shrubby plant reaching 3-4 ft in height. The violet flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils, and are 4 in across. The serrate, palmately lobed, leaves are 3-4 in across. The population on Islas los Coronados, which is doubtfully distinct, under the name Lavatera insularis S. Watson, is distinguished by smaller, pale purple flowers.

Synonyms for Lavatera occidentalis S. Watson include Malva occidentalis (S. Watson) M. F. Ray, Althaea occidentalis (S. Watson) Kuntze, Saviniona occidentalis (S. Watson) E. Greene, Lavatera insularis (S. Watson), Althaea insularis (S. Watson) Kuntze and Saviniona insularis (S. Watson) E. Greene.

Lavatera lindsayi Moran is a second species native to Isla Guadelupe. I have encountered no description of its characteristics, other than that it is close to the other Californian Lavateras. It has the synonym Malva lindsayi (Moran) M. F. Ray.

location map for Californian Laveteras

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© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004 Stewart Robert Hinsley