Malvella leprosa
Encyclopedia
Malvella leprosa is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family
known by the common names alkali mallow and alkali sida. It is native to much of the western United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. It is known in parts of Australia as an introduced species
. In many regions, whether native there or not, the plant is often a noxious weed and easily invades habitat, including areas with alkaline and saline soils. In California
, the plant can be found in agricultural
lands, including fields and orchards. This is a decumbent perennial herb producing a white-hairy stem up to about 40 centimeters long, spreading along the ground. The leaves are variable in shape but are generally lobed and wavy along the edges, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters wide. Leaves appear in the leaf axils singly or in clusters of up to 3. Each flower is a cup-shaped corolla of five petals up to 1.5 centimeters long in shades of white or light yellow. The disc-shaped fruit is divided into several segments.
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
known by the common names alkali mallow and alkali sida. It is native to much of the western United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. It is known in parts of Australia as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
. In many regions, whether native there or not, the plant is often a noxious weed and easily invades habitat, including areas with alkaline and saline soils. In California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the plant can be found in agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
lands, including fields and orchards. This is a decumbent perennial herb producing a white-hairy stem up to about 40 centimeters long, spreading along the ground. The leaves are variable in shape but are generally lobed and wavy along the edges, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters wide. Leaves appear in the leaf axils singly or in clusters of up to 3. Each flower is a cup-shaped corolla of five petals up to 1.5 centimeters long in shades of white or light yellow. The disc-shaped fruit is divided into several segments.