Round-leaved mallow

Malva pusilla

Malva pusilla also known as Malva rotundifolia (the latter of which is now officially rejected by botanists), the low mallow, small mallow, or the round-leaved mallow.
Malva pusilla stems can grow to a height of 4-20 inches. Malva pusilla leaves are attached alternately to the stem. Leaves have orbicular shape (widely triangular) with palmate venation and serrate margins. In the past, mallows were often referred to as cheesepants because the carpel is shaped similarly to a triangular wedge of cheese.
The Malva pusilla flower consists of five petals of white, sometimes pale pink, color with pink venation. Petals and calyx are about the same length. It has many stamens and the filaments are fused. Flowering begins in June and July and ends in September and October. Flowers bloom in groups of 2 to 5 at the base of the leaf stalks. The flower’s nectar is located near the upper surface of the sepals. It is self-pollinating with the aid of insects. The flowers are hermaphrodite, consisting of both female and male parts. There are usually 8 to 12 seeds per flower that are arranged in a ring. The tough seed coat enables it to remain dormant in the soil for up to 100 years. Seeds tend to germinate late in the springtime during temperatures of 15-20 degrees C (60-68 degrees F).

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