Common mallow
June 9, 2015
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EmailMalva neglecta Wallr. Malvaceae (Mallow family)
Life cycle
Spreading annual or biennial.
Common mallow plant.
Leaves
Cotyledons are heart-shaped with three main veins. Leaves are alternate, rounded with a heart-shaped base, palmately veined and hairy, with long, slender, hairy petioles. Margins are round-toothed and obscurely lobed.
Common mallow seedling (left). Common mallow leaf (right).
Stems
Spreading and partly erect stems are branched from the base and up to 1 foot tall.
Flowers and fruit
Flowers have five white and purple-tinged petals; flowers are formed on stalks in the leaf axils. Fruit are capsules that resemble buttons or cheese wheels. Each capsule contains 12 to 15 compartments; each compartment has one reddish brown to black, flattened, rounded seed with a notch.
Common mallow flower (left). Common mallow fruit (right).
Reproduction
Seeds and stem fragments.
Similar weeds
Venice mallow (Hibiscus trionum L.)
Differs by having leaves with three distinct, coarsely toothed lobes that may be further divided into as many as seven lobes; and pale yellow flowers with a purple base.
Venice mallow seedling.
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