Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Malvella leprosa (Alkali Mallow)

5/4/02 San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, Orange County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Alkali Mallow, White Weed

SPECIES: Malvella leprosa

FAMILY: Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

LIFE LIST DATE5/4/2002

LOCATION: San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, Orange County, CA

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Treatment from The Jepson Manual (1993):

Perennial

Stem decumbent, 1–4 dm, densely white-stellate; some hairs bristly, some scale-like

Leaf: blade 1–3 cm, reniform, round, or triangular, asymmetric, toothed, margin wavy

Inflorescence: flowers generally 1–3 per axil; bractlets 3, 3 mm

Flower: calyx 6–10 mm; petals 10–15 mm, cream-white to yellow

Fruit: segments 6–10, 3 mm, generally net-veined on sides

Ecology: Valleys, orchards, generally in saline soil

Elevation: < 1000 m.  

Bioregional distribution: California (especially Great Central Valley) 

Distribution outside California: to Washington, Idaho, Texas, Mexico, S.America

Weedy

Synonyms: Sida l. (Ortega) K. Schum. var. hederacea (Hook.) K. Schum

TOXIC to sheep, perhaps other livestock.

2 comments:

  1. It is the worst weed I can think of and is all the bad weeds in one - irritates the skin if handled making it very itchy, hard to kill because of deep roots and Roundup has little effect, animals won't touch it and it sicken them if they did, it spreads because of its roots and seeds. Just plain nasty.

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  2. Agree its leafy weed sticks and clings to everything especially cloths of any kind. Hoe do you get rid of it.

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