Herbs, perennial, 0.3–1.3 m, usually stellate-canescent. Stems erect, sparsely hirsute proximally, stellate-hairy distally, hairs often pustulose. Leaves: stipules deciduous, lanceolate, slightly falcate, 5(–10) × 1–2.5 mm, ciliate; petioles of lower leaves 1.5–2.5 times as long as blade, reduced distally to 1/2 blade length, stellate-hairy; blade 2–8 × 2–8 cm, base cordate to somewhat truncate, those most distal sometimes wide-cuneate, surfaces stellate-hairy, proximal leaf blades cordate-orbiculate, margins crenate to dentate, shallowly lobed, apex rounded, distal leaf blades deeply (3–)5-lobed, lobe margins obtusely dentate or pinnatifid, apex narrowly acute. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary or distal flowers in racemes. Pedicels conspicuously jointed distally, 1.4–2 cm, not much longer in fruit; involucellar bractlets distinct, not adnate to calyx, ovate or ovate-deltate to obovate, narrowed to base, 5–8(–12) × 2.5(–5) mm, shorter than calyx, margins entire, surfaces stellate-hairy or glabrate. Flowers: calyx 9–12(–15) mm, lobes enclosing mericarps, stellate-hairy; petals usually bright pink, rarely white, 20–35 mm, length 2.5–3 times calyx; staminal column 9–10 mm, sparsely stellate-hairy; style 18–20-branched; stigmas 18–20. Schizocarps 4–8 mm diam.; mericarps 18–20, black, 2.4–2.8 mm, apical surface and margins rounded, smooth or faintly ridged, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Seeds brown, 2.5 mm. 2n = 84.
More
Much like no. 1 [Malva moschata L.]; stem distinctly stellate-hairy; primary segments of the upper lvs merely shallowly lobed or coarsely toothed above the middle; bractlets oblong to ovate or obovate, densely stellate on the back, as also the cal; mature carpels glabrous or sparsely pubescent, keeled on the back; 2n=84. Native of Europe, occasionally escaped from cult., especially in ne. U.S. June–Sept.
A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 50-100 cm tall. The leaves are dark green above and light green underneath and have deep lobes. They have teeth along the edge. The flowers are mauve-pink. They are 3-9 cm across.
Gardens, vineyards, parks and waste places. Disturbed areas, roadsides, old farm sites; at elevations up to 400 metres.
More
It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 3-8.
Home
