More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Mallows, Rock-roses, and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER MALVALES
Indian Valley False Mallow
Malvastrum americanum
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Mallows, Rock-roses, and Allies (Order Malvales)
-Mallow and Hibiscus Family (Family Malvaceae)
-Subfamily Malvoideae
-Tribe Malveae
-Genus Malvastrum
-Indian Valley False Mallow (Malvastrum americanum)
Indian Valley False Mallow (Malvastrum americanum) is a sprawling to erect herb or subshrub in the mallow family (Malvaceae), found across a wide range in the Americas, from the southern United States through Central America and into parts of South America. It typically grows in disturbed sites, roadsides, and open, sunny habitats, where it can form dense patches. The plant bears soft, hairy leaves and small, five-petaled flowers that are usually orange to yellow, sometimes with a reddish center.
Description
• Malvastrum americanum, commonly known as spiked malvastrum or false mallow, is an annual or perennial herb in the mallow family (Malvaceae). It has erect or spreading, branching stems that are often covered in fine hairs. The alternate leaves are oval to lance-shaped, with toothed margins and pointed tips. Its small, five-petalled flowers are usually yellow to orange-yellow and grow in clusters along the upper stems or in the leaf axils. The fruits consist of several small segments arranged in a ring, each containing a seed.
Range
• Malvastrum americanum is native to tropical and subtropical America, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in warm, sunny, seasonally dry environments, including tropical dry forest margins, scrub, grasslands, roadsides, pastures, and disturbed ground. It tolerates drought and a variety of soil conditions, often thriving in open areas where vegetation is sparse.
