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Abstract: Among the relics of medieval cultivation, Malva alcea L. is one of the most thoroughly studied species. In Central and Eastern Europe, a similar taxon – Malva excisa Rchb. – has been recognized. The key diagnostic characters used so far to distinguish the 2 species include the depth of petal sinus and types of stem hairs. This study was aimed to analyse the variability of stem and leaf hairs and their usefulness as diagnostic characters for both taxa. The research material was collected from 19 localities in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belarus and Ukraine. Several types of hairs were observed on the stems and leaves of M. alcea: single, bifurcate and stellate. Single and bifurcate hairs were found on stems and leaves of plants from all the studied populations, more frequently on the lower part of the stem, as well as on the upper (adaxial) surface of the leaf. Stellate hairs, with 3-10 branches, were observed on stems, mainly in their upper parts, and on the lower (abaxial) surface of leaves. The principal component analysis for hairs from the upper and lower part of the stem showed that individuals from most of the studied populations were clustered in one large group and only single individuals from several different populations were outside this group. Based on the graphic presentation of the Manhattan distances, calculated with the use of the Ward method, 2 groups were distinguished, but they included a mixture of individuals from various populations and geographic regions. The studied populations are not distinguishable by their key morphological characters, so all samples can be considered as M. alcea. The results of this study show that Malva alcea is a highly variable species, and its specific morphological forms are not correlated with geographical or ecological factors. There are also scientific grounds to question the distinction of M. excisa as a separate species or subspecies.