Common Mallow

Sinai (St.Katherine).

Europe, north Africa, west Asia.

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion radiolus feeds within stem of Malva neglecta

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion rufirostre feeds within fruit of Malva neglecta

Foodplant / gall
pulvinate telium of Puccinia malvacearum causes gall of live stem of Malva neglecta
Remarks: season: 4-11

Prostrate or decumbent, perennial, basally woody herb. Branches stellate pubescent, densely so on young parts. Leaves orbicular, deeply cordate at base, 1-3 (-4) cm long, 1-4(-6) cm broad, simple-stellate hairy above, stellate below, crenate, occasionally shallowly 5-lobed;stipules ovate-lanceolate,c.5mm long, c. 2 mm broad, scarious, margin ciliate; petiole 3-12 (-25) cm long, stellate; pubescent, dense so above, glabrescent below. Flowers axillary, generally 3 on 4 in fascicles, occasionally solitary, particularly on the lower branches; pedicel (0.5-) 1-3 cm long, stellate pubescent. Epicalyx segments linear to linear-lanceolate, stellate pubescent, 3-4 mm long, c.l mm broad. Calyx free to the middle, 5-8 mm long, stellate pubescent; lobes 3-5 mm broad, deltoid or triangular. Petals 10-13 mm long, 3-4 mm broad, oblong-obovate, retuse, claw hairy on the margin, purplish or pinkish. Stamina] column 5-7 mm long, pubescent. Fruit depressed, 5-6 mm across; mericarps 13-15, pubescent, smooth margin usually rounded, 1.5-2 mm across in all directions. Seed dark brown, pubescent, reniform, 1 mm long and broad.

Distribution: Worldwide but of Old World origin. Naturalized in America. In Pakistan it widely occurs from plains to 14000 ft.

neglecta: overlooked

Malva neglecta is a species of plant of the family Malvaceae, native to most of the Old World except sub-Saharan Africa. It is an annual growing to 0.6 m (2 ft). It is known as common mallow in the United States and also as buttonweed, cheeseplant, cheeseweed, dwarf mallow, and roundleaf mallow. This plant is often consumed as a food, with its leaves, stalks and seed all being considered edible. This is especially true of the seeds, which contain 21% protein and 15.2% fat.