Plants of the genus Malva (Malvaceae) have been used by humans for millennia. In addition to being an important nutritional source, they are used for many medicinal purposes. Modern research not only supports the ethnomedicinal uses of these plants but has discovered many others. Many review articles were published about the traditional uses of Malva, and some reviews were published about modern research findings of the medicinal and other properties of M. sylvestris. However, none of the review articles discussed both traditional and modern scientific knowledge about all plants of this genus. In the present article an attempt has been made to discuss both the aspects comprehensively. Conclusions have been drawn and future research possibilities suggested.