Systematics of Lavatera and Malva (Malvaceae, Malveae) - A new perspective

Lavatera and Malva are circumscribed by epicalyx characters, but the distinction is untenable on this basis. Morphological characters and phylogenetic trees from rDNA ITS sequence data indicate the presence of two well-supported species groups different from the traditional genera. One group includes a mixture of closely related species in both genera and forms a more broadly circumscribed Malva, including most disjunct Lavatera species - notably four of western North American islands, one Australian and one Canarian species. The other group forms a more narrowly defined Lavatera. Another Canarian Lavatera species may be a common ancestor to the two groups.