Common Mallow
Malva sylvestris (M. erecta, M. mauritiana) Fr: Mauve Sylvestre
Erect or sprawling biennial or perennial with hairy stems, to 1.5 m. Often confused with Lavatera cretica (see below).
Flowers. Apr-Sept
Flower. Pink or purple, with dark veins, in clusters of 2 or more, borne separately on long stalks. Petals do not overlap. The epicalyx lobes elliptical and hairy.
Leaves. Large (40 mm long), heart- to kidney-shaped with 3-7 rounded, toothed lobes (see photo 4).
Habitat. Roadsides, waste ground, meadows, cultivated fields; sometimes on coastal rocks or sand dunes.
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