Malva punctata

Malva punctata (previously known as Lavatera punctata), commonly called spotted-stalked tree-mallow or annual tree mallow, is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Malva of the family Malvaceae.

Description
Malva punctata reaches on average 20 - 90 cm of height. The stem is erect and covered with scattered hairs. The leaves are alternate, trilobed with the central lobe larger than the others, petiolate with stipules, the lowest are kidney-shaped and slightly lobed, while the upper ones are pentagonal. The flowers grow in the axils of the leaves. Calyx is campanulate, five-lobed, with five triangular pink petals with purple veins, of about 1,5 - 3 cm, three times longer than the calyx. The flowering period extends from May through June.

Distribution
Plant of western Mediterranean origin is distributed from the South of France and Italy to Albania, Greece, Palestine, Israel, Asia Minor and Turkey.

Habitat
These plants grow at an altitude of 0 - 600 m above sea level. They prefer rocky soils in sunny areas and fallow fields, hedgerows, beds of streams and road margins.

Botanical gallery
Photos from Antalya except where indicated