Malva nicaeensis
All. Mallow of NiceAnnual or biennial, stems prostrate or procumbent, to c. 50 cm long. Leaves orbicular to reniform, cordate at base, c. 1–10 cm long and wide, shallowly 5-lobed, margins crenate or toothed, surfaces with scattered to dense hairs, usually simple above, some forked or stellate below. Epicalyx-lobes elliptic, 2–4 mm long, attached in lower third of calyx; calyx-lobes obtuse, divided to c. midway or a little below, not or barely exceeding epicalyx, slightly enlarged and incurved in fruit; petals 6–12 mm long, pink to bluish. Fruit 5–8 mm diam., mericarps c. 10, strongly reticulate, adjacent margins ± smooth, glabrous. Flowers Oct.–Jun.
Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to the Mediterranean area. Except for the far north-west, a widespread, but occasional weed of roadsides, gutters, gardens and disturbed sites through much of the State.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Malva. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 347–349. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
