Specific epithet means with an involucre, a ring of bracts surrounding several flowers. Genus name honors the daughter of a minor Greek deity, Achelous, a river god. Other names for this variety include Cluster Malva, Malva, Mauve Chinoise, Mauve Crépue and Mauve Frisée. The closely-related Missouri native fringed poppy mallow ( Callirhoe digitata) is, by contrast, a spindly, erect plant which typically grows 2-3' tall. This variety is more commonly known as Chinese Mallow. Leaves are palmately divided into 5-7 finger-like lobes. The leaves are large, and the flowers are white, pink, or purple. The mallow tree is a perennial, and can grow up to 20 feet tall. It is native to Africa, and has been introduced to many other parts of the world. Known for being difficult to move, minimizing damage to its large, delicate root ball. Mallow tree is a flowering plant that is related to hibiscus, and okra. Stamens form a prominent central column typical of mallow family members, but with distinctive style branches. Tree mallow has bell-like single blooms similar to hollyhocks or hibiscus, in shades of pink, purple or red. Solitary, upward facing, cup-shaped, five-petaled, poppy-like, magenta flowers (to 2.5" wide) continuously appear on thin stems above the foliage from mid-spring to fall. Plants typically form a low foliage mound from 6-9" tall on procumbent stems which spread along the ground to 3' wide. It is a low growing weed, with a deep fleshy tap root. Distinguishing Features Common mallow is a winter or summer annual or biennial, freely branching at the base, with a prostrate growth habit. Callirhoe involucrata, commonly called purple poppy mallow, is a mat-forming perennial which most frequently occurs in dryish, rocky soils in prairies, fields and along roadsides throughout the semi-arid, south-central portion of the Great Plains of the United States with scattered, adventive populations to the east and west. It is an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, demulcent, emollient, laxative and an expectorant.
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