Malva neglecta
Common Mallow
Malvaceae (The Mallow family)
Flowers
The petals are white (sometimes with a purplish tint), with pink or purple nectar guides.
They're 6 - 12 mm long with an indented notch at the end. The shape varies from oblong to almost squarish.
The calyx has 5 sepals that are roughly half as long as the petals. They're triangular and they taper to a sharp point.
The flower grow on stalks that start in the leaf axils, that is, the spot where a leaf stalk meets the main stalk.
The flower stalks are usually shorter than the leaf stalks -- about 3 cm long.
The numerous stamens are at the center of the flower. They're fused at the base, but split apart farther up.
The style has about a dozen branches with long stigmas.
Leaves
The leaves can be nearly round like the one to the left, or kidney shaped, like the one below. They have lobes. Usually 5, but can have up to 9. The lobes have teeth around the edges.
Leaves range in size from about 3 cm to double that. They're at the end of long stalks that can be up to 15 cm long.
Root
Malva neglecta has a strong, stout taproot. As the plant develops, the root becomes woody. If the plants have invaded your lawn or garden, you know how hard they can be to pull out. It's easier before the plant grows it's 4th leaf -- that's when the root turns to wood.
Fruit & Seed
As the plant matures, the flower becomes a fruit that's protected somewhat by the calyx. On the right (below), you can see the fruit where the calyx is falling open.
The fruit is round and divided into a dozen or so segments.
To some people it looks like a button, which is why its sometimes called buttonweed. To others it looks like a wheel of cheese, which is why it's sometimes called cheeseplant.
