Alcea is a genus of over 80 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae, commonly known as the hollyhocks. They are native to Asia and Europe.

  • Alcea abchazica <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea acaulis <small>(Cav.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea afghanica <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea antoninae <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea apterocarpa <small>(Fenzl) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea arbelensis <small>Boiss. & Hausskn.</small>
  • Alcea assadii <small>Pakravan</small>
  • Alcea aucheri <small>(Boiss.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea baldshuanica <small>(Bornm.) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea biennis <small>Winterl</small>
  • Alcea calvertii <small>(Boiss.) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea chrysantha <small>(Sam.) Zohary</small>
  • Alcea damascena <small>(Mouterde) Mouterde</small>
  • Alcea denudata <small>Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea digitata <small>(Boiss.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea dissecta <small>(Baker f.) Zohary</small>
  • Alcea djahromi <small>Parsa</small>
  • Alcea excubita <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea fasciculiflora <small>Zohary</small>
  • Alcea ficifolia <small>L.</small> – Antwerp hollyhock
  • Alcea flavovirens <small>(Boiss. & Buhse) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea freyniana <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea froloviana <small>(Litv.) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea galilaea <small>Zohary</small>
  • Alcea ghahremanii <small>Pakravan & Assadi</small>
  • Alcea gorganica <small>(Rech.f., Aellen & Esfand.) Zohary</small>
  • Alcea heldreichii <small>(Boiss.) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea hohenackeri <small>Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea hyrcana <small>Grossh.</small>
  • Alcea ilamica <small>Pakravan</small>
  • Alcea iranshahrii <small>Pakravan, Ghahr. & Assadi</small>
  • Alcea karakalensis <small>Freyn</small>
  • Alcea karsiana <small>(Bordz.) Litv.</small>
  • Alcea koelzii <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea kopetdaghensis <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea kuhsanguia <small>Parsa</small>
  • Alcea kurdica <small>(Schltdl.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea kusjariensis <small>(Iljin ex Grossh.) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea lasiocalycina <small>Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea lavateriflora <small>(DC.) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea lenkoranica <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea litvinovii <small>(Iljin) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea loftusii <small>(Baker f.) Zohary</small>
  • Alcea longipedicellata <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea mazandaranica <small>Pakravan & Ghahr.</small>
  • Alcea mosulensis <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea mozaffarianii <small>Ghahr. & Pakravan & Assadi</small>
  • Alcea nikitinii <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea nudiflora <small>(Lindl.) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea peduncularis <small>Boiss. & Hausskn.</small>
  • Alcea pisidica <small>Hub.-Mor.</small>
  • Alcea popovii <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea rechingeri <small>(Zohary) I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea remotiflora <small>(Boiss. & Heldr.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea rhyticarpa <small>(Trautv.) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea rosea <small>L.</small> – common hollyhock
  • Alcea rosulata <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea rufescens <small>(Boiss.) Boiss.</small>
  • Alcea rugosa <small>Alef.</small>
  • Alcea scabridula <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea schirazana <small>Alef.</small>
  • Alcea semnanica <small>Pakravan</small>
  • Alcea setosa <small>(Boiss.) Alef.</small> – bristly hollyhock
  • Alcea sophiae <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea sosnovskyi <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea sotudehi <small>Parsa</small>
  • Alcea striata <small>(DC.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea sulphurea <small>(Boiss. & Hohen.) Alef.</small>
  • Alcea sycophylla <small>Iljin & V.V.Nikitin</small>
  • Alcea tabrisiana <small>(Boiss. & Buhse) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea talassica <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea tarica <small>Pakravan & Ghahr.</small>
  • Alcea teheranica <small>Parsa</small>
  • Alcea tholozanii <small>Stapf</small>
  • Alcea transcaucasica <small>(Iljin) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea turcomanica <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea turkeviczii <small>Iljin</small>
  • Alcea vameghii <small>Parsa</small>
  • Alcea wilhelminae <small>I.Riedl</small>
  • Alcea woronowii <small>(Iljin ex Grossh.) Iljin</small>
  • Alcea xanthochlora <small>I.Riedl</small>

Uses

Hollyhocks are popular garden ornamental plants. They are easily grown from seed. Breeds with red flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Cultivars have been bred, especially from A. rosea. They include the double-flowered 'Chater's Double', the raspberry-colored 'Creme de Cassis', and 'The Watchman', which has dark, nearly black, maroon flowers.

The stems of hollyhocks can be used as firewood, and the roots have been used medicinally.

Pests and diseases

thumb|right|upright|alt=Rhopalapion longirostre|Hollyhock [[weevil (Rhopalapion longirostre)]]

Alcea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrix quadrigemina and Vanessa cardui, the painted lady.

The mallow flea beetle (Podagrica fuscicornis) is a pest that makes tiny holes in the leaves. Cutworms, aphids, and capsid bugs use the plant as a food source in hotter and drier conditions. A number of weevils use A. rosea as their host plant, including Rhopalapion longirostre, Alocentron curvirostre, and Aspidapion validum.

The plants are also susceptible to the pathogenic fungus Puccinia malvacearum, the hollyhock rust.

Culture

The Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) is one of the three main festivals of the city of Kyoto.

During the Victorian era, the hollyhock symbolized both ambition and fecundity in the language of flowers.

The UK National Collection of hollyhocks is held by Jonathan Sheppard in Lincolnshire.

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File:Aoix2.jpg|Man carrying a hollyhock float during the Aoi Matsuri procession

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<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" >

File:Hollyhock - Kolkata 2011-02-25 1734.JPG|Alcea sp.

File:Alcea-setosa--Chotmit--Zachi-Evenor.jpg|Alcea setosa

File:Alcea rosea3 ies.jpg|Sepals

File:Malva negra - Alcea rosea var. nigra - Hollyhock (7448054488).jpg|Alcea rosea 'Nigra'

File:Alcea Rosea Hollyhocks flower plant.jpg|Alcea sp.

File:Alcea Rosea Hollyhocks flower plant - Closer look.jpg|Alcea sp. Closer look at the flower

</gallery>

References