High Mallow

It is occasionally cultivated in Pakistan.

It resembles Malva ambigua Guss. and Malva mauritiana L. From Malva ambigua Guss. it differs in its glabrous fruits and from Malva mauritiana L. it can be differentiated on the basis of emarginate and smaller petals and fewer flowers in fascicles.

Usually biennial, up to 1.25 m tall, pubescent to glabrescent herbs. Leaves 2-4 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, 3-lobed, truncate to broadly cordate at; stipule lanceolate, scarious, c. 5 mm long, 1.5 mm broad; petiole 2-6 cm ,pilose. Flowers axillary (1-) 2-4 in fascicles; pedicel c. 2 cm long. Epicalyx segments ovate, 2-3 mm long, 1.5 mm broad. Calyx free to the middle, 3-6 mm long, glabrescent; lobes broadly triangular, 2-3 mm broad. Petals pink-purple cm long, c.1 cm broad, obovate, emarginate, claw ciliate. Staminal c. 3 mm long, stellate pubescent. Fruit glabrous, 5-6 mm across, mericarps 10-12, reticulate. Seeds brown, c. 2.5 mm long and broad.

Europe, N. Africa, Himalaya, N. Asia, often cultivated.

Distribution: W. Europe, N.Africa and Asia.

2400 m