Ontario Weeds: Common mallow

Table of Contents

1. Name
2. Other Names
3. Family
4. General Description
   • Photos and Pictures
5. Stems and Roots
6. Leaves
7. Flowers and Fruit
8. Habitat
9. Similar Species
10. Related Links

Name: Common mallow, Malva neglecta Wallr.,

Other Names: mauve négligée, Cheeses, Garden mallow, Round-leaved mallow, amours

Family: Mallow Family (Malvaceae)

General Description: Annual, biennial or short-lived perennial, reproducing only by seed.

Photos and Pictures

Common mallow. A. Seedling. B.Base of flowering stem.
D. Fruit (ring of "seeds").

Stems & Roots: Stems much-branched, erect or trailing on the ground with upturned ends, hairy, 10-60cm (4-24in.) long, from a stout taproot.

Leaves: Leaves alternate (1 per node), long-stalked; blades rounded or kidney-shaped with a deep heart-shaped base, shallowly lobed and toothed; stipules green to purplish or brownish, triangular, 2.5-6mm (1/10-1/4in.) long.

Flowers & Fruit: Flowers in axils of leaves; sepals 5, in a ring; petals 5, white to pinkish or lilac, 1-1.5cm (2/5-3/5in.) across and with a column of stamens in the centre covering the pistil; fruit a circle of about 12 to 14 dry sections ("seeds"), each section having flat sides but being rounded on its back, very finely hairy, and containing 1 dark brown seed. Flowers from June to late autumn.

Habitat: Common mallow occurs throughout most of Ontario and is a very frequent weed in lawns, gardens, barnyards, roadsides, waste places and occasionally in cultivated fields.

Similar Species: It is distinguished by its low stature, its rounded to kidney-shaped leaves, its flowers 1-1.5cm (2/5-3/5in.) across witha central column of stamens and the individual sections in the ring of fruits rounded and not prominently veined.

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Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

 

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