Alcea Rosea Research Articles

Optimization of Anthocyanin extraction from black hollyhock flower: Process efficiency, stability, and cytotoxicity assessment

Black hollyhock (Alcea rosea var. nigra) flower (BHF) serves as a plentiful natural pigment source. However, limited research has been conducted on the extraction and characterization of the anthocyanins present in BHF. This work aims to develop an environmentally friendly extraction method for efficiently obtaining natural pigments from BHF. Utilizing response surface methodology (RSM), the extraction variables were adjusted to optimize the overall anthocyanin content. The optimized conditions, entailing extraction lasting 7 min at 65°C, employing acidified water at a solvent: feed (S:F) ratio of 100:1 (v/w), resulted in extraction yield of 53 ± 2.5 % and the total anthocyanin content (TAC) of 65.7 ± 0.5 mg/ gdry weight based on cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalents (CGE). Furthermore, the extraction from pomace, which represents the residue subsequent to the initial extraction, exhibited 11 and 2 mg CGE/g dry weight after second and third steps of extraction, respectively. Characterization of the obtained extracts was conducted through HPLC-DAD MS analysis, and six anthocyanins were identified. The kinetic data associated with degradation of anthocyanins was well fitted with a zero-order model, which showed a half-life (t1/2) of approximately 200 days. Additionally, BHF extract exhibited no significant cytotoxicity against human dermal fibroblast cells as MTT assay indicated. This investigation introduces a potent source for anthocyanin which can be comparable to other sources and their extraction conditions in terms of stability, TAC, and extraction yield.

The Extraction of Alcea Rosea Organic Dye and Its Characterization of Optical Properties

In the present study, the optical properties of a natural dye extracted from Alcea rosea flowers were investigated. The color extraction procedure was performed using a nontoxic solvent ethanol to enhance human safety and the ecological framework. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to determine the functional groups of the natural dye obtained from Alcea rosea flowers. The optical properties of dye were achieved by the directed thin film using UV-Vis spectroscopy and analyzed absorption spectra, coefficients, refractive indices, extinction coefficients, and optical energy bandgap. A broad absorption band occurs over an extensive waveband with peak at 380 nm. The occurrence of a low indirect bandgap in a thin film was discerned at 3.9 eV, with Urbach energy noticed in a state of 0.23 eV.

First European records of Puccinia modiolae and P. platyspora, two native South American rust fungi, and new observations on their life cycle and morphology

ABSTRACT This paper reports the South American rust fungi Puccinia modiolae and P. platyspora (Pucciniales/Uredinales) as new alien species of the European rust funga. Puccinia modiolae is presently known from Switzerland and Germany, P. platyspora from Switzerland, Germany, and France. The records of P. platyspora are the first ones from outside South America. The specimens were identified by teliospore characters and sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (internal transcribed spacer 2 and domains D1–D2 of the nuclear ribosomal large subunit) and the mitochondrial CO3 (cytochrome c oxidase III) gene. Puccinia modiolae and P. platyspora have been recorded so far in Europe on members of the genera Alcea, predominantly on Alcea rosea, Althaea, and Malva of the Malvaceae, subfam. Malvoideae. Alcea rosea is host of both species and shared also with the common mallow rust, P. malvacearum, allowing for mixed infections. The plant is commonly grown as an ornamental and may play a major role for the spread of the alien Malvaceae rust fungi. It was observed for the first time that P. platyspora can produce spermogonia and aecidium-type aecia, suggesting phenotypic plasticity regarding the formation of spore states. The observed spermogonia mainly remained closed and did not liberate spermatia. They produced telio- and aeciospores besides spermatia in their cavity and eventually converted entirely into telia or, rarely, into aecidium-like sori. Small clusters of aeciospores and peridial cells were commonly found hidden in the telial plectenchyma, and well-developed aecidium-type aecia provided with a peridium developed rarely in the center of mature telia. Spermogonia belonging to group V type 4 were found in P. malvacearum, which is generally supposed to lack spermogonia. Some spermogonia produced only spermatia in their cavity; others formed spermatia and teliospores, and some eventually converted into telia.

Physiological Responses of Hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) to Drought Stress

Physiological Responses of Hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) to Drought Stress

Development of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and construction of DNA fingerprinting of Alcea rosea L. based on specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology

Development of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and construction of DNA fingerprinting of Alcea rosea L. based on specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology

Induction of Apoptosis and ROS Production in Liver Cancer Cells by Saponin Fraction from Alcea rosea L. Seeds

Background: Natural compounds are essential targets in anticancer research due to the toxic effects of current chemotherapy and drug resistance. Methods: Saponin extraction from Alcea rosea L. was carried out using 20% methanol and liquid-liquid extraction coupled with the Solid phase extraction (SPE) approach. The saponin fraction was explored for its cytotoxic activity against Huh-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines and a non–cancer cell line (HUVEC). The cytotoxic activity and oxidative stress were assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and 2,7 dichlorofluorescein diacetate dyes respectively. The apoptotic potential was investigated using DAPI and acridine orange-ethidium bromide dual staining. Result: The saponin fraction exhibited cytotoxic potential against the cell lines investigated. The IC50 values of the saponin fraction were 49.02, 300 and 325 µg\mL against Huh-7, MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cell lines, respectively. The cytotoxicity for the extract was dose-dependent. The saponin fraction calculated selectivity index (SI) value indicated high selectivity towards Huh-7 cells (SI = 6.62) compared with normal HUVEC cells. Huh-7 cells treated with saponin fraction showed cellular and nuclear morphological changes, such as apoptotic body formation and chromatin condensation, as observed using light and fluorescent microscopy. However, further investigation is required to assess the the saponin fraction as a potential therapeutic agent.

Transcriptomics analyses reveal the key genes involved in stamen petaloid formation in Alcea rosea L.

Alcea rosea L. is a traditional flower with a long cultivation history. It is extensively cultivated in China and is widely planted in green belt parks or used as cut flowers and potted ornamental because of its rich colors and flower shapes. Double-petal A. rosea flowers have a higher aesthetic value compared to single-petal flowers, a phenomenon determined by stamen petaloid. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of this phenomenon is still very unclear. In this study, an RNA-based comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed between the normal petal and stamen petaloid petal of A. rosea. A total of 3,212 differential expressed genes (DEGs), including 2,620 up-regulated DEGs and 592 down-regulated DEGs, were identified from 206,188 unigenes. Numerous DEGs associated with stamen petaloid were identified through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Notably, there were 63 DEGs involved in the plant hormone synthesis and signal transduction, including auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroid, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid signaling pathway and 56 key transcription factors (TFs), such as MADS-box, bHLH, GRAS, and HSF. The identification of these DEGs provides an important clue for studying the regulation pathway and mechanism of stamen petaloid formation in A. rosea and provides valuable information for molecular plant breeding.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of high-value metabolites from callus culture of Alcea rosea L.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of high-value metabolites from callus culture of Alcea rosea L.

First Report of Rust Disease on Alcea rosea caused by Puccinia modiolae in China.

Alcea rosea, belonging to the Alcea genus in the Malvaceae family, originated from China, but it is now grown worldwide. A. rosea has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate constipation, pain, swelling, and sores. In February 2023, typical symptoms of fungal infection were observed on A. rosea at Guizhou Normal University in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China. The disease incidence was over 90% (n = 100) for the surveyed A. rosea plants, and the disease severity range from 30% to 90%. The initial symptoms of A. rosea rust were the appearance of chlorotic spots on the leaves. Subsequently, numerous reddish to dark-brown erumpent pustules (telia) were observed. Gradually, the entire plant was covered by rust and the center of each lesion turned brown, necrotic, and ruptured over times, eventually causing defoliation. Voucher specimens of infected A. rosea leaves as representative samples have been deposited at Guizhou Normal University (GNU2023LS008). Telia are round in shape, mostly aggregated in mass, with a diameter of 0.28-0.78 mm (0.46 mm, n = 20). They range in color from reddish-brown to dark brown, and are mainly hypophyllous but occasionally formed on the adaxial leaf surface. The teliospores are fusoid with dimensions of 31.3-93.8 × 10.9-21.3 μm (57.5 × 15.1 µm average, n = 50), hyaline or yellowish to light-brown in color, mostly two-celled, with a smooth wall (1.5-3.0 µm) and a thickened apex (3.0-9.0 µm). However, teliospores which are one-, three-, or four-celled with a notch at the apex, are rarely observed. The morphological characteristics of host symptoms and teliospores were similar to those of Puccinia modiolae (Aime and Abbasi 2018; Albu et al. 2019). For phylogenetic analysis, genomic DNA was extracted from the teliospores of infected leaves. To confirm the species-level identification, PCR was performed on the extracted DNA to amplify the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) regions using primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (Schoch et al. 2012) and NL1/NL4 (Ziemiecki et al. 1990), respectively. The resulting ITS DNA sequence (GenBank accession no. OR607960) showed 100% identity with P. modiolae sequences (OP369291.1), when the query coverage was 100%. The LSU DNA sequence obtained (OR607961.2) shared 99.85% similarity with P. modiolae (MK458702.1). A phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA7.0 and the maximum likelihood method based on the ITS and LSU sequences. The fungal isolates collected in this study and several reference sequences of P. modiolae were grouped within a clade that included the isolates reported on A. rosea in Korea (Ryu et al. 2023), with 100% bootstrap support. Pathogenicity testing was conducted by gently pressing spore powder of naturally diseased leaves onto young leaves of three healthy A. rosea plants, with three noninoculated healthy plants serving as controls. The inoculated and noninoculated plants were kept in a growth chamber at the 26°C with a 12 hour light/dark cycle and 80% humidity. After 2 weeks, all inoculated A. rosea plants showed characteristic disease symptoms of rust infection and telia of P. modiolae, while control plants remained symptomless. The pathogen was identical to that observed on the original diseased leaves. The study results indicate that the causal fungus responsible for the disease is P. modiolae, which has been previously reported on Malvaceae plants (Farr and Rossman 2022). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. modiolae on A. rosea in China. This study will contribute to an increased understanding of the host range of Puccinia modiolae.

Differential responses of Hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) varieties to salt stress in relation to physiological and biochemical parameters

The response of 14 Hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) varieties to salinity were evaluated in a field experiment over two growing seasons. Carotenoid, Chl a, Chl b, total Chl, proline and MDA content, CAT, APX and GPX activity and petal and seeds yields were determined in order to investigate the mechanism of salt tolerance exhibited by Hollyhock, and too identify salt tolerant varieties. Overall, the photosynthetic pigment content,petal and seed yields were reduced by salt stress. Whereas the proline and MDA content, and the CAT, APX and GPX activities increased as salt levels increased. However, the values of the measured traits were dependent upon the on the level of salt stress, the Varietie and the interaction between the two variables. Based upon the smallest reduction in petal yield, the Masouleh variety was shown to be the most salt tolerant, when grown under severe salt stress. However, based upon the smallest reduction in seed yield, Khorrmabad was the most tolerant variety to severe salt stress. These data suggest that the selection of more salt tolerant Hollyhock genotypes may be possible based upon the wide variation in tolerance to salinity exhibited by the varieties tested.

First report of Puccinia modiolae causing rust disease on Alcea rosea in China

AbstractIn China, about 500 Puccinia species have been discovered, with over 200 species distributed in Shaanxi province. In 2023, a rust disease of Alcea rosea was discovered in Shaanxi Province, China, and the pathogen was identified as Puccinia modiolae through morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis. This is the first documented report of rust disease on A. rosea caused by P. modiolae in China.

Changes in Secondary Metabolite Production in Response to Salt Stress in Alcea rosea L.

The effect of three levels of salinity on physio-biochemical traits in 10 Alcea rosea (hollyhock) varieties were evaluated. It was observed that salt stress increased both the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) in some varieties and decreased them in others. The greatest increases in both TPC and TFC were recorded in the Saman variety (104% and 62%, respectively) when cultivated under severe salt stress, indicating that this is the most salt-tolerant variety amongst those tested. The most abundant phenolic compound recorded was ellagic acid, and the phenolic compounds that showed the greatest increases in concentration due to salt stress were p-coumaric acid (87% in the Isfahan variety) and chlorogenic acid (142% in the Mahallat variety). Salt stress was also shown to decrease the production of diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in all varieties. The highest concentration of DPPH (133%) was recorded in the Shiraz 1 variety, grown under conditions of severe salt stress. Salt stress also increased the mucilage content present in the petals, leaves, and seeds of some of the selected varieties. These data suggest that the selection of salt-tolerant varieties of hollyhock for direct cultivation or for use in future breeding programs is feasible.

Nutritional, Fatty Acids, (Poly)phenols and Technological Properties of Flower Powders from Fuchsia hybrida and Alcea rosea.

Fuchsia hybrida (pena pena) and Alcea rosea L. (malvagoma) are predominant flowers in the "Horchata" infusion, a traditional beverage in southern Ecuador, to which some medicinal properties are attributed. However, there is very little published information about these two flower species. The current study aimed to obtain two dehydrated powders of these flowers and to determine their chemical composition, physicochemical and technological properties, polyphenols, and fatty acids profile. In both powdered flowers, carbohydrates predominated, with a significant content of dietary fiber and fructose. The fat content was low, mainly comprising polyunsaturated fats (62% pena pena and 52% malvagoma), with a significant presence of omega-3 (C18:3n-3,6,9) and omega-6 (C18:2n-6,9) fatty acids, showing a better n-6/n-3 balance in the malvagoma flowers. Pena pena flowers are highlighted by high anthocyanin and ellagic acid amounts, whereas malvagoma contains a high content of flavanones. In conclusion, the studied powder flowers, could be used in the formulation of new foods or as source of anthocyanins as food colorants.

Increasing the resistance of the hollyhock plant to cold stress: silicon or selenium

It is well-known that freezing affects crop growth worldwide and significantly reduces crop production in the affected regions. The study objective was to investigate the effect of sodium silicate and sodium selenite individually or in combination on Alcea rosea plants grown under cold temperature stress. In this work, hollyhock plants were grown with sodium selenite and sodium silicate to 1/2 Hoagland solution, including 1) control, 1 mM sodium sulfate, 2) 1 mM sodium silicate 3), 0.03 mM sodium selenite, 4) 1 mM sodium silicate + 0.03 mM sodium selenite and exposed to nonfreezing (20 °C) and freezing temperature (−4 °C). Nutritional elements, photosynthesis parameters, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, water content, osmolytes, and antioxidant enzymes were determined. The application of Si + Se effectively enhanced the Si and Se content of leaves (54% and 164%) compared to control plants. The combined Si and Se addition increased phenols, water-soluble sugars, proline, chlorophyll, net photosynthesis (Pn), and stomatal size under cold stress. Moreover, Si and Se in combination in stressed plants inhibited electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) by increasing the activities of enzymes such as superoxidase dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT). The maximal to minimal values of essential oil content, relative water content (RWC), and stomatal density depended on the treatment: Si + Se > Si = Se. By increasing K content, phenol, proline, and water-soluble sugars, Si + Se > Si > Se application decreased the adverse effects of cold stress on the dry weight of the hollyhock.

Fungicolous fungi on microscopic fungi parasitic to the vegetation of the urban environment

The research aimed to study the extent of fungicolous fungi prevalence on the thallus of fungi parasitic to the plants of the urban environment and to assess the species diversity of these microorganisms, with particular attention paid to the phenomenon of hyperparasitism. The research material consisted of herbaceous plants, trees, and shrubs showing signs of infestation by fungi, planted as park plants, along communication arteries, for hedges or ornamental plants, collected in larger cities of north-eastern Poland. Macroscopic and microscopic analysis revealed the presence of 12 different species of fungicolous fungi. The greatest diversity was found on the parasite of <i>Alcea rosea</i>, i.e., <i>Puccinia malvaceraum</i>, on which four fungal species were recorded. Four species of hyperparasites were identified: <i>Ampelomyces quisqualis</i> on the thallus of 19 <i>Erysiphales species</i>,<i>Cladosporium uredinicola</i> on the thallus of 5 species of the Pucciniales order, <i>Clonostachys epichloë</i> on <i>Epichloë typhina</i>, and <i>Sphaerellopsis filum</i> on the thallus of 11 representatives of Pucciniales. The study was also the first to record the presence of superparasites: <i>Ampelomyces quisqualis</i> on four Erysiphales species and <i>Sphaerellopsis filum</i> on three Pucciniales species. It is difficult to determine the relationships established by the other identified fungicolous fungi due to the lack of literature data. Nevertheless, the study demonstrated the presence of, among others, <i>Stemphylium sarciniforme</i> structures inside <i>Erysiphe palczewskii</i> appendages and the absence of ascospores inside the fruiting bodies indicative of the invasive nature of this relationship. However, confirmation of these findings requires further detailed microscopic and molecular analyses.

A review of botanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties of Alcea rosea L.

Background and aims: This article was written to better introduce Alcea rosea as a valuable medicinal plant to the medical and pharmaceutical communities and the general public for industrial and traditional uses as a valuable medicinal plant. Methods: The results were gathered from scientific papers and databases to find flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, anthocyanins, polysaccharides, and pharmacological activities in A. rosea. Sixty-two articles were found, and 51 were used for our final results. Results: Studies have shown that flowers, roots, seeds, and other parts of the plant exert antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, sedative, analgesic and anti-cough effects due to the presence of valuable phytochemical compounds such as anthocyanins, pectin, starch, monosaccharide, disaccharide, mucilage, flavonoids (hypolaetin-8-glucoside, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid), coumarins, scopolamine, phytosterol, tannins, asparagine, and certain amino acids. Conclusion: Alcea rosea, as a rich source of secondary metabolites, can have diverse applications in medical and food research.

Investigation of thermal conductivity, sound absorption, and mechanical properties of Alcea Rosea L. fiber-reinforced epoxy composites

Investigation of thermal conductivity, sound absorption, and mechanical properties of Alcea Rosea L. fiber-reinforced epoxy composites

TWO-YEAR FLOWER CULTURES IN THE COLLECTION OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF BILA TSERKVA NATIONAL AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY

The article presents the results of the analysis of the collection of two-year-old flowering ornamental plants in the Botanical garden of Bila Tserkva national agrarian university. It was established that the biennial collection includes 17 species belonging to 15 genera and 10 families. The largest number of species is represented by the family Brassicaceae Burnett. – Brassica oleracea L. var. Acephala DC., Erysimum perovskianum Fisch.hort., Hesperis matronalis L., Lunaria biennis L. The collection presents species that have not only decorative, but also medicinal, fodder, and tanning properties. Diditalis grandiflora contains poisonous glycosides. Alcea rosea has ethnographic significance and belongs to amulet plants.
 The morphometric indicators of biennials by height and their flowering periods were analyzed. It was established that 41,2% of the collection of biennials of the Botanical Garden of the Bila Tserkva NAU belongs to low-growing species, medium-sized and tall plants are represented by the same number of species, which is 29,4% each. The largest number of species in the collection is represented by the group of summer-flowering biennials, 47,1%, late-spring-flowering ones make up 29,4%, and early-flowering ones – 23,5% of species. 
 Most biennials are cultivated in open ground to decorate flower beds, only a few to create seasonal bouquets and phytocompositions. Thanks to the plasticity of biennials, which is manifested in non-standard sowing dates, relative frost resistance and early spring and early summer flowering periods, biennials reduce the costs of growing seedlings and care for them after planting in a permanent place, provide an annual change in the design of flower beds and fill the flowerless periods of early spring and early summer. Biennials are suitable for creating borders, flower beds, rabatoks, lawns, carpets, ribbons, for decorating flowerbed groups and balconies, container culture. Tall species can be used as a background for the entire composition. Varietal diversity of Bellis perennis L., Brassica oleracea L. var. Acephala DC, Dianthus caryophyllus L. var. Grenadine hort, Dianthus barbatus L., Viola wittrockiana Gams. allows you to create monoculture flower beds with a wide color palette.

Malva sylvestris, a new host of Puccinia modiolae in Korea.

Malva sylvestris (Malvaceae), known as common mallow, is native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. It was intentionally introduced to Korea as an ornamental plant in the early 20th century, and has become partly naturalized in several areas including the woods (Jung et al. 2017). Among nine microcylic Puccinia species attacking the Malvaceae plants, three species of P. heterospora, P. malvacearum, and P. modiolae have been reported on M. sylvestris (Classen et al. 2000, Colenso 1885, McKenzie 1998 and Melo et al. 2012). Only P. modiolae has been found on Alcea rosea and M. verticillata, and not M. sylvestris in Korea (Lee et al. 2022; Ryu et al. 2022). In August 2022, rust disease symptoms of a Puccinia fungus were observed on some overgrown seedlings of M. sylvestris, which were neglected in containers after sales at a wholesale nursery (36°50'19.8″N, 128°55'28.7″E) in Bonghwa, Korea. Typical rust spots were observed around 60% (on 111 seedlings of the 186 seedlings of M. sylvestris). The brown spots were produced on round chlorotic haloes on the adaxial leaf surface, and brown to dark brown pustules on the abaxial. Subepidermal spermogonia on the adaxial, were obovoid, and 112.1-160.0 × 88.7-149.3 μm in size. Telia were golden-brown to dark brown, round, mostly grouped, and 0.30-0.72 mm in diameter, and mainly hypophyllus. Fusoid teliospores were two-celled, rarely one- or three-celled, 36.2-92.3 × 10.6-19.3 μm in size, with many anomalies appearing notched at apex; wall was yellowish or almost colorless, smooth, 1.0-2.6 μm thick at the sides, and up to 6.8 μm thick at the apex; pedicel was hyaline, thick wall, persistent, and (39.3-)60.4-154.6(-189.9) μm long. Based on these morphological features together with the results of the phylogenetic analyses (e-Xtra 2) using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial large subunit (LSU) sequences according to the method described by Ryu et al. (2022), the fungus was identified as an autoecious P. modiolae, recently reported on M. verticillate and A. rosea in Korea (Lee et al. 2022; Ryu et al. 2022). A representative sample was deposited in the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency Herbarium (PQK220818). Pathogenicity tests were done using three host plants: M. sylvestris, M. verticillate and A. rosea. Three to four leaf discs with basidiospore-bearing telia were placed on the upper surfaces of healthy young leaves of the seedlings. Three replicates of each host plant set including an untreated control were tested. The plants were kept in an isolated glass house. At ten to twelve days after inoculation, typical telial spots of P. modiolae were recovered, but not in the control plants, showing all three tested species were highly susceptible (e-Xtra 1). The ITS and LSU sequences obtained from the genomic DNAs of each newly recovered rust spot were consistent with that of the inoculum (accession no. OQ542745). The previous A. rosea isolate (OP369290 by Ryu et al. 2022) also showed the pathogenesis on M. sylvestris and M. verticillata by the same tests, mentioned above (e-Xtra 1). To date, only one collection of P. modiolae on M. sylvestris has been reported in Louisiana, the United States (Aime and Abbasi 2018). The results of this study show that P. modiolae is firstly confirmed as the causal rust fungus of M. sylvestris and the same causal agent of M. verticillate and A. rosea rust disease, recently reported in Korea.

Fruit and Seed Morphometry and in Vitro Germination of Hollyhock Seeds

Alcea rosea L. is an ornamental shrubs that has many possible uses, including medical purposes. This species is mainly propagated by seeds, however, there are few studies that describe their morphometric characteristics, in addition, previous reports show that they have dormancy that makes the germination difficult. Therefore, this work aimed to determine the morphological characteristics of the fruit and seeds of A. rosea and to evaluate its in vitro seeds germination under different pregerminative methods in different culture media. For the morphological description, 25 fruits or seeds were evaluated. For the in vitro germination in the MS and WPM culture media, the pregerminative treatments were: T1 - untreated seeds (control); T2 - mechanical scarification (cut in the seed coat); T3 - thermal scarification (immersion of the seeds in water at 60 ºC for 16 min). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 3x2 factorial scheme (pregerminative treatments x culture media), with eight replications and twenty seeds per replication. A visual scale was proposed to classify the seedlings vigor. The schizocarp hollyhock fruit is flattened and its diameter is greater than its height, and each fruit contains 33 seeds, on average. The seeds have approximately 4.2 mm in length and 100 seeds weight, on average, 0.89 g. The culture medium does not influence the seeds germination and the pregerminative treatments are not necessary for the germination. However, the mechanical scarification promoted the best germination speed index and the production of more vigorous plants.